The opening round of March Madness features a David vs. Goliath battle, as No. 15 seed Omaha makes its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, squaring off against No. 2 seed St. John’s on Thursday at Amica Mutual Pavilion.
Under the legendary Rick Pitino, the Red Storm have been revitalized, storming to both the Big East regular season and tournament titles. It marks the program's first trip to the field of 64 since 2015, though they did feature in the 2019 First Four. Now, they have their sights set on a deep run in March.
Meanwhile, Omaha is experiencing a historic moment, having captured the Summit League regular-season and tournament crowns to punch its ticket to the Big Dance for the first time ever. The Mavericks will be eager to make a statement against one of college basketball’s storied programs in what promises to be a fascinating first-round showdown.
On paper, St. John's should have a favorable matchup to kick off their NCAA Tournament campaign. Sitting at the bottom of the West Region bracket, the Red Storm could set up a second-round showdown against the winner of No. 7 Kansas and No. 10 Arkansas if they handle business on Thursday.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the St. John's vs Omaha NCAA Men's game, plus plenty more.
St. John's vs Omaha: Date and tip-off time
The Red Storm and the Mavericks will tip off in a highly anticipated NCAAM game on Thursday, March 20, 2025, at 9:45 pm ET/6:45 pm PT at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, RI.
Date | Thursday, March 20, 2025 |
Tip-off Time | 9:45 pm ET/6:45 pm PT |
Venue | Amica Mutual Pavilion |
Location | Providence, RI |
How to watch St. John's vs Omaha on TV & stream live online
Fans in the USA can catch all the action between the Red Storm vs the Mavericks on:
- TV Channel: CBS
- Streaming service: Paramount+
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St. John's Red Storm team news & key performers
The Red Storm are fueled by Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis Jr., who has been the heartbeat of their success all season. Now, with March Madness underway, he'll be looking to build on his stellar campaign and lead St. John's on a deep run through the tournament. F Zuby Ejiofor and G Kadary Richmond are both averaging double figures in scoring.
Omaha Mavericks news & key performers
While Omaha's offense can hold its own, boasting a better three-point shooting percentage than St. John's (36.7% to 30.4%), they have yet to encounter a defensive juggernaut like the Red Storm.
Slowing down Omaha's leading scorer, Marquel Sutton, will be a top priority for St. John's. The high-scoring guard (19.1 PPG) has been the Mavericks’ offensive catalyst, but the Red Storm have proven they can neutralize top scorers. They held Butler’s Jahmyl Telfort—a 16 PPG scorer on 47% shooting—to just 11.6 points on 35% shooting over three meetings, including an off night (3-of-10) in the Big East quarterfinals.