Baylor Bears vs. St. Johns Red Storm Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 21st 2024

Preview and Prediction

After a slow start to the season, No. 13 Baylor has finally found their stride. They will have a chance to prove their progress on Thursday night as they face off against No. 22 St. John's in the first round of the Baha Mar Championship in Nassau, The Bahamas.

The winner of this game will move on to the championship contest on Friday, where they will face the winner of the game between Virginia and No. 11 Tennessee. The losing teams will also play on Friday in the earlier game.

Baylor (3-1) enters the tournament with a strong 104-41 win against Tarleton State on Sunday. Jalen Celestine led the team with 20 points, while freshman standout VJ Edgecombe added 17 points. This was the Bears' third consecutive victory.

Their previous two wins were against No. 16 Arkansas at home, and then against two mid-major teams. However, their season started off with a tough loss against then-No. 6 Gonzaga, where they were defeated by 38 points.

In their most recent game, Jeremy Roach had a standout performance with 14 points and four 3-pointers against Tarleton State. Robert Wright also had a strong game with 12 points and nine assists. The Bears dominated in the first half, leading by 43 points and forcing their opponents into 28 turnovers.

Baylor had two impressive 17-0 runs in the first half, and outshot Tarleton 67% to 29.4%. Head coach Scott Drew was pleased with his team's performance, stating, "We really wanted to make sure we got off to a fast start, and going 9 of 13 from 3 is just what the doctor ordered. Second half, you're fighting human nature. We came out and lost the first media (timeout). But after that, really the last 11 minutes, we played a lot better."

Celestine, a transfer from Cal, was just one point shy of his career high in points. He credited his teammates for setting him up for success, saying, "I was just able to make some shots, and my teammates thankfully and selflessly kept giving me the ball and putting me in position to score."

On the other side, the Red Storm (4-0) will also be traveling to the Bahamas for their first game away from home this season. Their most recent game was an 85-71 victory against New Mexico on Sunday.

RJ Luis Jr. had an impressive performance with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, helping St. John's secure the win. This was also coach Rick Pitino's third win in four career games coaching against his son, Richard Pitino.

St. John's never trailed after the seven-minute mark in the first half, and Deivon Smith had 12 of his 15 points in the first half. Kadary Richmond also had a strong game with 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Aaron Scott and Zuby Ejiofor also contributed with 14 and 13 points respectively.

Coach Pitino believes his team has the potential for greatness, but for now, they are just a solid team. He stated, "I think we have greatness potential. But we're just solid now. We're a good, solid team. You have all new players. You're not supposed to be great in November."

PREDICTION

Baylor Bears

St. Johns Red Storm