{"blocks":[{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Our first matchup of the Baha Mar Championship in the Bahamas will be between two ranked teams: Baylor and St. John’s."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The Bears boast an elite offensive attack, while St. John’s has one of the country’s most versatile and switchable defensive units. "}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"We are in store for an incredible matchup between these two championship-contending teams, but which squad will win this early-season battle in the Bahamas?"}},{"type":"header","data":{"text":"St. John’s vs. Baylor odds","level":2}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":""}},{"type":"header","data":{"text":"St. John’s vs. Baylor prediction","level":2}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Baylor didn’t take too long to bounce back from its embarrassing 38-point opening night loss to the high-octane Gonzaga Bulldogs."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The Bears secured a five-point win against a ranked Arkansas team before dismantling two non-conference opponents en route to back-to-back 104-point outings."}},{"id":"4jb6gion-rfya6tvk","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://nypost.com/2026/07/04/betting/chase-delauter-owen-caissie-offer-fantasy-baseball-managers-hidden-value/","meta":{"title":"Chase DeLauter, Owen Caissie offer fantasy baseball managers hidden value","description":"","image":{"url":"https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/newspress-collage-ukguv1of1-1783196504454.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&1783182168&w=171&h=114&crop=1"}},"variant":"compact"}},{"id":"bq4rkw8a-w13m0cl6","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://nypost.com/2026/07/04/betting/mets-vs-braves-prediction-mlb-saturday-picks-odds/","meta":{"title":"Mets vs. Braves prediction: MLB Saturday picks, odds, best bets","description":"","image":{"url":"https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/newspress-collage-ik169w6im-1783183978159.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&1783169604&w=171&h=114&crop=1"}},"variant":"compact"}},{"id":"2tg40mke-h7dauzba","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://nypost.com/2026/07/04/sports/luis-garcia-jr-s-breakout-is-too-good-for-fantasy-managers-to-ignore/","meta":{"title":"Luis Garcia Jr.’s breakout is too good for fantasy managers to ignore","description":"","image":{"url":"https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/crop-39887986_aa1a3f.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=171&h=114&crop=1"}},"variant":"compact"}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"In fact, Baylor held its last opponent (Tarleton State) to merely 13 points through 20 minutes of play, winning the first half by 43 points. "}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Meanwhile, St. John’s enters its second year of the Rick Pitino era after a solid 20-13 season. The Johnnies have started the 2024-25 campaign with a 4-0 record, but they haven’t won as convincingly as Baylor has in its past two games."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"This should be a tight, grind-it-out game, with Baylor holding a slight advantage. After all, great offense beats great defense, right?"}},{"type":"image","data":{"file":{"url":"https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/dunks-ball-tarleton-texans-forward-93867971.jpg?w=1024"},"caption":"\n Baylor star VJ Edgecombe is a player to watch. Chris Jones-Imagn Images"}},{"type":"header","data":{"text":"St. John’s vs. Baylor pick","level":2}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Baylor’s offensive attack has finally gained some confidence and taken shape."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Over their past three outings, the Bears rank 10th in points per game (93.3) despite ranking 272nd in KenPom’s adjusted tempo metric."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The Bears’ half-court offense and shooting (62.2% effective field goal percentage) have made them dangerous in that stretch. Despite a horrible first game against the Zags, they have the fifth-highest adjusted offensive efficiency rating this season."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"However, it isn’t just their ability to hit shots that have propelled them into another stratosphere; they also rank third nationally in offensive rebounding percentage, allowing them to pile on second-chance points on opponents."}},{"type":"delimiter","data":{}},{"type":"header","data":{"text":"Betting on College Basketball?","level":2}},{"type":"list","data":{"style":"unordered","items":["Check out the best College Basketball betting sites","Read the latest March Madness odds"]}},{"type":"delimiter","data":{}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Unfortunately, I haven’t been impressed with St. John’s ability to secure defensive rebounds. The Johnnies rank 133rd in defensive rebounding percentage, which could be a death sentence against a team like Baylor that thrives on second-chance points."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"I also see a world where Baylor slows the pace way down, forcing the Johnnies to play defense for most of the shot clock and limiting their transition opportunities. "}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"

"}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The recipe for Baylor is simple: crash the offensive glass, move the ball around, slow the pace and keep the Johnnies out of the paint and in the half-court."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The Pick: Baylor -2.5 (-110, DraftKings)"}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":""}},{"type":"delimiter","data":{}},{"type":"header","data":{"text":"Why Trust New York Post Betting","level":2}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Andrew Norton handicaps the NBA, WNBA, NFL, college basketball and football, UFC and golf. During the 2022-23 NBA season, he achieved a standout 14.1% ROI, cashing 60% of his NBA spread picks and leading Tallysight in its SportsIQ metric."}}]}

Andrew Norton

St. John’s vs. Baylor prediction, odds: College basketball picks, best bets