The Red Storm hope to extend their Big East winning streak to four games in their most difficult road game of the season so far, taking on surging Villanova in South Philadelphia. The Wildcats are winners of seven of their last eight games, which include road victories over Wisconsin, Seton Hall, and Butler.
Game information
Who: St. John’s Red Storm (12-5, 5-1 Big East) vs. Villanova Wildcats (14-3, 5-1 Big East)
When: Saturday, January 17, 2026, 8:00 p.m.
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
TV:
Peacock
Radio: ESPN New York 880 / 1050
Series History: Villanova leads the all-time series, 67-66. The Red Storm have won three of the last four meetings, and defeated the first-ranked Wildcats in their last game at Xfinity Mobile Arena (formerly known as Wells Fargo Center) on February 7, 2018.
KenPom Predicted Score: Villanova to win, 75-74 (49% chance of St. John’s win)
Injury news
There are no injury news to report for St. John’s heading into Saturday’s game.
What to watch for in the Storm
Road Warriors – Strangely, St. John’s is a much cleaner offensive team away from home. At Madison Square Garden and Carnesecca Arena, the Johnnies shoot 32.2% from three and commit a 14.9% turnover rate, but when they’re on that road, they shoot 41.3% from three (good for ninth nationally) and only give up a 12.0% turnover rate (good for 13th nationally).
Buy on Sellers – While known more for his three-point shooting, Oziyah Sellers is having more success scoring inside the arc, distributing, and playing on the glass since Pitino shifted to a bigger starting lineup in the past three games. Sellers is averaging 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, while shooting 52.6% from the field during the three-game winning streak. Facing a Villanova team that allows opponents to shoot 35% from three (237th-best in the country), Sellers could have another explosive scoring night.
Settling In – Since the start of conference play, Dylan Darling is getting comfortable in his role as the first guard off the bench. He’s averaging 7.9 points on 52.9% from the field and 55% from three (11-of-20) in the last seven games.
Scouting the Wildcats
Villanova is defying expectations in what was supposed to be a transition season for first-year head coach Kevin Willard, and the Wildcats are primed to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since Jay Wright’s retirement in 2022.
Entering Saturday’s game with an overall record of 14-3 (5-1 in the Big East) and important wins over Wisconsin, Seton Hall, and Butler, Villanova is projected by most bracketologists to be a 6-seed in this March’s NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats currently rank 26th nationally in KenPom, a significant improvement over their preseason ranking of 50th. They also hold the 21st-best adjusted offensive efficiency and the 41st-best adjusted defensive efficiency. As a unit, they rank in the top 60 in effective field goal percentage (55.2%) and are tidy with the ball, turning it over at the 72nd-best rate in the country (15.4%).
Many prognosticators doubted if the transfer class of mid-major stars Willard built could compete in the Big East, but those concerns went away pretty quickly.
James Madison transfer Bryce Lindsay is one of the most confident scorers in the conference this season, leading the Wildcats with 15.2 points per game and is shooting 43.9% from the field and 40.5% from three on 7.1 attempts per game. The 6-foot-3 sophomore from Baltimore is a potent three-point threat, but he can also take on defenders with his quick first step and score on the drive.
However, Lindsay is going through a slump in his last three games, scoring 7.3 points per game on 23.3% shooting.
His backcourt partner is a top-40 freshman and one-time St. John’s target Acaden Lewis, who is quickly becoming an effective point guard in his first year of college ball. Lewis is averaging 12.6 points and 5.4 assists per game, and is only committing 1.8 turnovers per game as the team leader in usage rate.
The 6-foot-3 guard from Washington, D.C. plays as an athletic slasher, shooting 57.5% from two. He still has plenty of room to grow, especially as a shooter, only hitting 27.1% from three-point range and 64.4% from the free throw line.
Grand Canyon transfer Duke Brennan is a one-man glass cleaning machine, leading the Wildcats with 10.7 rebounds per game, with the next-best player coming in with 4.9 boards per game. Brennan also leads the Big East with 74 total offensive rebounds. Among all NCAA Division I players, Brennan ranks fourth in offensive rebound percentage (18.5%) and eighth in total rebound percentage (21.5%).
While Brennan hasn’t attempted a single shot outside of the painted area this season, he’s one of the most dependable finishers you could find in the Big East, ranking third in two-point field goal percentage (68.7%).
The 6-foot-10 Brennan will have the size advantage over every Red Storm player except Ruben Prey, but he is also the only big man in Villanova’s rotation, and the Wildcats could be in trouble if he gets into foul trouble. As a team, St. John’s ranks 14th nationally in free throw attempts per game with 26.8.
Prediction
Whether it’s Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, or even Providence, St. John’s has struggled against defending athletic guards or guards with good size this season. Both of Villanova’s starting guards share each of those characteristics, and they will test the Red Storm’s help defense by driving inside.
That, coupled with the Wildcats’ supporting cast of three-point scorers Tyler Perkins, Devin Askew, and Matt Hodge, can match the Red Storm’s outside shooting.
Ultimately, this will be a razor-close game that is won by ‘Nova’s guards. Villanova wins, 84-82.
