Auburn vs St. John’s

St. John’s rolls into this matchup on a one-game surge after hammering Baylor, while Auburn is trying to rebound from a blowout loss to Michigan that snapped its own Vegas momentum and highlighted some defensive cracks. Both rotations appear close to full strength, with Auburn having recently welcomed back forward Keyshawn Hall from a minor issue and no major injuries reported for core Red Storm scorers. With Hall and dynamic guard Tahaad Pettiford driving Auburn’s attack and glass work, and Bryce Hopkins and Oziyah Sellers powering a St. John’s offense averaging over 95 points per game, there’s no meaningful head-to-head track record for current players (their last men’s meeting was back in 1986), so current Players Era form and neutral-court comfort in Las Vegas become the real guideposts. Given St. John’s superior recent offensive rhythm, their ability to string together big runs against ranked foes, and the attractive plus-money price at +210, I’m backing the Red Storm on the moneyline at a value-leaning B+ grade rather than an all-in position. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 26/11/2025 11:41am

Auburn’s last three outings have all comfortably pushed toward high totals — including a 102-72 loss to Michigan and an 84-73 win over Oregon — while St. John’s just followed an 83-82 shootout loss to Iowa State with a 96-81 statement over Baylor, showing how easily both teams can drive combined scores into the 160s and beyond. Neither side is dealing with a key scoring absence, and with Hall fully active for Auburn plus St. John’s shooting core (Hopkins, Sellers, Ian Jackson) intact, depth is unlikely to force either coach to slow the tempo. Between Pettiford and Hall attacking early in the clock for the Tigers and the Red Storm’s 95.3-points-per-game, up-tempo profile in this neutral-site Vegas environment, there should be enough possessions, transition chances, and free throws to justify a play on Over 167.5 at -110, though the already-inflated number and possible late-game fatigue in a festival setting cap this as a solid-but-not-elite B-grade edge rather than a premium spot. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 26/11/2025 11:41am

Bryce Hopkins and the Red Storm just showed against Baylor that when they get rolling they can bury quality opponents by double digits, while Auburn, despite a strong overall start, is coming off a 30-point loss to Michigan that exposed turnover issues and defensive lapses against elite, multi-handler offenses. With Hall and Auburn’s frontcourt available and St. John’s main rotation healthy, this spread handicap leans more on consistency and matchup than on who is banged up. Even though there’s no relevant current-player history in this rare Auburn–St. John’s clash, the combination of Hopkins, Zuby Ejiofor, and Sellers giving the Johnnies multiple proven scoring options, plus their strong track record of blowing out teams when they get separation, makes grabbing St. John’s +6 (-110) very appealing protection against a tight, back-and-forth contest or late free-throw variance, earning this an A- grade for its blend of probability and line value. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 26/11/2025 11:41am