OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a pick Thursday is on St. John’s (-2) at Seton Hall.
At some point Steve Lavin’s boys have got to come back down to Earth a bit but until that happens I’ll ride them here. The Red Storm have quite possibly been the story of the season in all of college hoops. This team has gone from extremely mediocre which included losses to Fordham and St. Bonaventure to looking like the best team in the best conference in the nation and I really do mean that literally.
St. John’s went on the road and won at West Virginia and Providence a while back to start the run and at Madison Square Garden have dismantled Duke, Georgetown, Connecticut and nipped Pittsburgh. They also won at Marquette, Cincinnati and Villanova as part of this current six game winning streak and the Johnnies have now won eight of their last 9 games.
At 19-9 overall and 11-5 in the Big East it’s just not a fluke, it can’t be. St. John’s is an experienced squad that is as veteran as they come and is a four or five seed at worst. Dwight Hardy is blowing up and Justin Brownleee, Paris Horne, DJ Kennedy and a few others are as confident as confidant could ever be. Lavin may have not been the greatest coach in his UCLA days but everything has been clicking lately and if it comes to a screeching halt today then so be it.
Seton Hall is not bad and has a solid upside. I have even played the Pirates a few times recently and don’t really have a problem with Jeremy Hazell, Eniel Polynice, Jordan Theodore and Herb Pope. I readily admit that the Hall is a far better team than the 11-17 record indicates and believe that the home squad should be able to hang around today.
In the end though St. John’s is at such a level right now and have won so many games late that there is just a semi heir of invincibility and that should be enough against a Seton Hall team that has yet to really learn how to close out a game.
This should be a solid and fairly tight game but after 40 minutes the Storm should continue this phenomenal run.
The pick: St. John’s from Matt Rivers
For more information: Southern Mississippi last night led for 36 of the 40 minutes, literally, and could not cash that ticket in the end. Think about that, leading for basically 90% of the time and not able to take care of business, yuck. When it rains it pours I guess but no sweat as I am as confident as ever and ready to smack that Crookie with conviction.
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