🏀 St. John's vs. Kansas Prediction & Picks: March Madness Round 2 (March 22)
After one of the most dominant performances of the first round, No. 5 St. John's will battle No. 4 Kansas with a spot in the Sweet 16 on the line.
My best St. John's vs. Kansas prediction for Sunday's 5:15 p.m. ET (CBS/March Madness Live) game at Viejas Arena in San Diego focuses on St. John's well-rounded style of play. St. John's is a 3.5-point betting favorite. My March Madness predictions also include a player prop on a man known to frequent these articles - Zuby Ejiofor.
🏀 St. John's vs. Kansas picks & odds: March Madness Round 2
See all of our experts' college basketball picks based on the latest college basketball odds; picks rated on a 1-to-5 star confidence scale based on betting value.
| Pick | Best odds | Units | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. John's -3.5 | -105 via FanDuel | 2u -> 1.9u | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Under 144.5 | -110 via FanDuel | 1.5u -> 1.36u | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Zuby Ejiofor Over 8.5 rebounds | +110 via bet365 | 1u -> 1.1u | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Total wagered: 4.5 units | Max profit: 4.36 units
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🏆 Who will win St. John's vs. Kansas?
See the latest March Madness odds for every team in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
I'm taking St. John's to win this game by seven, because the Red Storm's offense is good enough to score against Kansas' stout defense, but Kansas' inconsistent offensive play will be too much for the Jayhawks to overcome.
Score prediction: St. John's 72, Kansas 65
💰 St. John's vs. Kansas prediction & best bet
St. John's -3.5 (-110)
Though Kansas ranks 8th in adjusted defensive rating, according to KenPom, St. John's has scored at least 72 points in 11 of its last 12 games. St. John's also ranks 11th in defensive adjusted rating, and the Red Storm defense is going to be too much for Kansas' 58th-ranked offense to overcome.
Up 64-42 over No. 13 Cal Baptist with 8:54 left in the first round, Kansas allowed an 18-4 run to end the game. These droughts have plagued Kansas all season, including when the Jayhawks scored just 47 against Houston in their final game before the NCAA Tournament.
🔥 Best St. John's vs. Kansas player prop bet
Zuby Ejiofor Over 8.5 rebounds (+110)
The combination of Ejiofor and Dillon Mitchell causes a serious problem for Kansas. Kansas is allowing 36.8 rebounds per game, which ranks 312th in the nation. Even worse, Kansas is allowing 12.4 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks 346th.
St. John's is excellent on the offensive glass, averaging 13.1 boards per game (27th nationally). Ejiofor is averaging 3.3 offensive rebounds per game. Additionally, Ejiofor leads St. John's with 7.3 rebounds per game, and he has at least nine in three of his last four games.
The only reason this isn't a more confident play for me is that Mitchell, who is averaging 7.0 rebounds per game for St. John's, could end up stealing some rebounds from his teammate.
🚀 St. John's vs. Kansas same-game parlay
Kansas' inconsistent offensive play is going to be the main reason why this game goes Under and St. John's covers the spread. And since Kansas struggles to prevent opposing teams from grabbing rebounds, especially on the offensive glass, I'm taking Ejiofor to reach at least nine boards for a price of +110 that helps elevate these parlay odds at bet365.
💵 St. John's vs. Kansas SGP picks
- St. John's -3.5
- Under 144.5
- Zuby Ejiofor Over 8.5 rebounds
Best odds: +665 via Sportsbook (1u -> 6.65u)
💵 My betting record for college basketball
All college basketball picks, including SGPs, have been tracked since March 13.
| Bet type | Record | Net profit | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 28-34 | +34.28 units ✅ | 42.1% ✅ |
| Game picks | 20-15 | +16.16 units ✅ | +33.3% ✅ |
| Player props | 4-8 | -7.72 units ❌ | -37.7% ❌ |
| Parlays | 4-11 | +25.84 units ✅ | +215.3% ✅ |
💡 How I'm betting St. John's vs. Kansas: March Madness strategy
Follow all of our college basketball analysis and expert predictions for March Madness.
I wasn't high on Kansas entering the tournament, and after watching the Jayhawks' offense down the stretch, I'm very concerned about how they'll play against one of the best defensive teams in the nation. Considering I was high on St. John's, and the Red Storm dominated in the first round, I'll risk two units on them as small favorites, while also wagering 1.5 units on the Under. Ejiofor has a great opportunity on the glass based on March Madness betting trends, but I've been a little cold on player props, so I'm only risking one unit on his Over.
📊 Live St. John's vs. Kansas odds: March Madness Round 2
St. John's opened as a 2.5-point favorite, and the spread was quickly bet up to 3.5. However, the price for -3.5 is less than -110 at most sportsbooks, suggesting this number could drop back to 2.5 soon. As for the total, it opened at 143.5, and it has increased to 144.5. I don't see the justification for this movement, and I expect the number to drop before tipoff.
📈 St. John's vs. Kansas betting trends
| St. John's | Statistic | Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| 29-6 | Record | 24-10 |
| 21-12-1 | ATS record | 20-14 |
| 12-22 | O/U record | 11-23 |
| 15th | KenPom ranking | 21st |
| 120.4 (38th) | Adj. offensive rating (rank) | 118.0 (58th) |
| 93.9 (11th) | Adj. defensive rating (rank) | 93.7 (8th) |
📺 How to watch St. John's vs. Kansas: March Madness Round 2
- Date: Sunday, March 22
- Tipoff: 5:15 p.m. ET
- Location: Viejas Arena (San Diego)
- TV: CBS
- Streaming: March Madness Live
🆚 March Madness second-round matchups & previews
Here is the second-round March Madness schedule, and our betting preview:
| East Region | West Region | South Region | Midwest Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville vs. Michigan State (3/21) | Texas vs. Gonzaga (3/21) | Texas A&M vs. Houston (3/21) | Saint Louis vs. Michigan (3/21) |
| TCU vs. Duke (3/21) | High Point vs. Arkansas (3/21) | VCU vs. Illinois (3/21) | Kentucky vs. Iowa State (3/22) |
| St. John's vs. Kansas (3/22) | Miami vs. Purdue (3/22) | Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska (3/21) | Tennessee vs. Virginia (3/22) |
| UCLA vs. UConn (3/22) | Utah State vs. Arizona (3/22) | Iowa vs. Florida (3/22) | Texas Tech vs. Alabama (3/22) |
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