NCAAB · Final

St. John's Tops Villanova in Close Contest

Saturday, January 17, 2026, 8:00 PM ET · Xfinity Mobile Arena

St. John's Red Storm 86, Villanova Wildcats 79, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.

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Quick answers

Who won St. John's Red Storm vs Villanova Wildcats?

St. John's Red Storm beat Villanova Wildcats 86-79 at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 17, 2026.

Who was favored in St. John's Red Storm vs Villanova Wildcats?

St. John's Red Storm were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -142 (about 59% implied). The favorite won.

In an exciting matchup at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, the St. John's Red Storm defeated the Villanova Wildcats with a final score of 86-79. This victory marks St. John's third consecutive win, showcasing their strong form as they continue to build momentum in the NCAAB season.

Both teams entered the game with impressive records, as Villanova held a home record of 14-4 and St. John's boasted an away record of 13-5. Villanova had been performing well recently, with an 8-2 record over their last ten games, including an average of 76.2 points scored and 69.9 points allowed. They were on a two-game winning streak heading into this contest. St. John's also had a solid recent performance, matching Villanova's 8-2 record in their last ten games, while averaging 81.6 points scored and allowing 69.6 points.

The matchup was particularly interesting given the teams' previous encounters. In their last two meetings during the 2025 season, each team had won once. Villanova had previously defeated St. John's 73-71 at home, while St. John's claimed a decisive 80-68 victory in their earlier matchup that same season.

In terms of home and away performance, Villanova had a home record of 4-1 in their last five games, while St. John's had a 3-1 record in their last four away games. This game was crucial for both teams as they aimed to solidify their standings in the league.

Injuries can often play a significant role in the outcome of games, but the block does not provide any details on injuries affecting either team prior to this matchup. However, the absence of key players can shift the dynamics of a game, making it an essential aspect to consider.

The betting market reflected the competitive nature of this fixture, with DraftKings listing St. John's as 2.5-point favorites. The total points line was set at 147.5, indicating expectations for a high-scoring game. The odds for the over were -112.0, while the under was slightly less favorable at -108.0. St. John's money line was priced at -142.0, while Villanova's was set at +120.0, showcasing the tight contest anticipated by bookmakers.

The game conditions were not detailed in the block, but typically, factors such as crowd support, arena atmosphere, and potential weather effects (if applicable) can influence team performance. Fans were likely treated to a thrilling display of basketball, given both teams' scoring capabilities.

As the game unfolded, St. John's made crucial scoring plays in the second half that helped them secure the victory. Tyler Perkins made a driving layup, followed by Zuby Ejiofor's layup with an assist from Bryce Hopkins. Hopkins then contributed further by making two free throws, extending St. John's lead. Despite Villanova's efforts to close the gap, including a layup from Devin Askew, they were unable to overcome the deficit established by St. John's late in the game.

With this win, St. John's improved their record to 14-5, while Villanova fell to 14-5. The performance of both teams suggests they will remain competitive in the league as the season progresses.

Odds

Book	Spread	Total	Moneyline
DraftKings	SJU -2.5	147.5 o -112 / u -108	St. John's Red Storm -142 · Villanova Wildcats +120

What these prices pay on $100 · What these numbers mean

Leaders

PointsTyler Perkins23Villanova Wildcats
AssistsAcaden Lewis5Villanova Wildcats
ReboundsDuke Brennan9Villanova Wildcats
PointsBryce Hopkins20St. John's Red Storm
AssistsDylan Darling3St. John's Red Storm
ReboundsDillon Mitchell10St. John's Red Storm

Recent form

Villanova Wildcats

Last 10: 8-2Streak W276.2 scored · 69.9 allowed per game4-1 at home

W88-82at Providence FriarsJan 13
W76-73at Marquette Golden EaglesJan 10
L72-76vs Creighton BluejaysJan 8
W85-67at Butler BulldogsJan 3
W71-66vs DePaul Blue DemonsDec 31
W64-56at Seton Hall PiratesDec 24
W76-66vs Wisconsin BadgersDec 20
W79-61vs Pittsburgh PanthersDec 13
L61-89at Michigan WolverinesDec 9
W90-63vs Pennsylvania QuakersDec 7

St. John's Red Storm

Last 10: 8-2Streak W381.6 scored · 69.6 allowed per game3-1 away

W92-68vs Marquette Golden EaglesJan 13
W90-73at Creighton BluejaysJan 10
W84-70at Butler BulldogsJan 7
L71-77vs Providence FriarsJan 3
W95-83at Georgetown HoyasJan 1
W85-59vs Harvard CrimsonDec 23
L66-78at Kentucky WildcatsDec 20
W79-66vs DePaul Blue DemonsDec 17
W91-64vs Iona GaelsDec 13
W63-58vs Ole Miss RebelsDec 7

Standings

Team	Overall	Games behind	In conference
St. John's	30-7	-	18-2
UConn	34-6	1	17-3
Villanova	24-9	3	15-5
Seton Hall	21-12	8	10-10
Creighton	16-18	9	9-11
DePaul	16-16	10	8-12
Butler	16-16	11	7-13
Providence	15-18	11	7-13
Marquette	12-20	11	7-13
Georgetown	16-18	12	6-14
Xavier	15-18	12	6-14

Box score

Stat	St. John's Red Storm	Villanova Wildcats
Field goals	30-58	25-54
Field goal %	52	46
Three-pointers	5-15	11-26
Three-point %	33	42
Free throws	21-31	18-24
Free throw %	68	75
Rebounds	31	28
Offensive rebounds	12	7
Defensive rebounds	19	21
Assists	13	13
Steals	8	4
Blocks	3	3
Turnovers	9	14
Team turnovers	1	2
Technical fouls	1	1
Technical fouls, total	1	1
Flagrant fouls	0	0
Points off turnovers	17	6
Fast-break points	4	9
Points in the paint	42	22
Fouls	17	21
Largest lead	17	4
Lead changes	7	7
Time in front	81	14

How the scoring went

2nd Half56-39Oziyah Sellers makes layup (Dillon Mitchell assists)
2nd Half56-42Malachi Palmer makes 24-foot three point jumper (Tyler Perkins assists)
2nd Half58-42Oziyah Sellers makes 17-foot turnaround jump shot (Ian Jackson assists)
2nd Half58-45Tyler Perkins makes 28-foot three point jumper (Duke Brennan assists)
2nd Half60-45Sadiku Ibine Ayo makes 17-foot pullup jump shot (Dylan Darling assists)
2nd Half60-47Bryce Lindsay makes 6-foot pullup jump shot
2nd Half63-47Oziyah Sellers makes 24-foot three point jumper (Dylan Darling assists)
2nd Half63-48Tyler Perkins makes free throw 1 of 3
2nd Half63-49Tyler Perkins makes free throw 2 of 3
2nd Half63-50Tyler Perkins makes free throw 3 of 3
2nd Half63-53Bryce Lindsay makes 23-foot three point jumper
2nd Half65-53Zuby Ejiofor makes layup (Oziyah Sellers assists)
2nd Half66-53Zuby Ejiofor makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half66-54Devin Askew makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half66-56Duke Brennan makes 2-foot dunk (Tyler Perkins assists)
2nd Half66-59Tyler Perkins makes 24-foot three point jumper (Devin Askew assists)
2nd Half69-59Joson Sanon makes 25-foot three point jumper (Bryce Hopkins assists)
2nd Half69-61Devin Askew makes 8-foot pullup jump shot
2nd Half69-62Devin Askew makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half69-64Tyler Perkins makes 10-foot pullup jump shot
2nd Half71-64Bryce Hopkins makes layup (Joson Sanon assists)
2nd Half72-64Dillon Mitchell makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half72-65Bryce Lindsay makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half72-66Bryce Lindsay makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half74-66Zuby Ejiofor makes 0-foot tip in layup
2nd Half77-66Joson Sanon makes 24-foot three point jumper (Dillon Mitchell assists)
2nd Half78-66Zuby Ejiofor makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half78-69Bryce Lindsay makes 27-foot three point jumper
2nd Half78-70Bryce Lindsay makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half78-73Devin Askew makes 22-foot three point jumper (Bryce Lindsay assists)
2nd Half79-73Bryce Hopkins makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half80-73Bryce Hopkins makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half80-75Tyler Perkins makes driving layup
2nd Half82-75Zuby Ejiofor makes layup (Bryce Hopkins assists)
2nd Half83-75Bryce Hopkins makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half84-75Bryce Hopkins makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half84-77Tyler Perkins makes 0-foot tip in layup
2nd Half85-77Ian Jackson makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half86-77Ian Jackson makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half86-79Devin Askew makes layup