Saint Joseph’s vs. Rhode Island Picks and Prediction for Saturday, February 28, 2026
Use Code WWWC Saint Joseph’s Hawks (18-10) vs. Rhode Island Rams (15-12)
The 2025-26 college basketball season continues Saturday, February 28, with the Saint Joseph’s Hawks squaring off against the Rhode Island Rams in the A-10 Conference showdown at Thomas M. Ryan Center in Kingston, RI, and we’ve got you covered with our Saint Joseph’s vs. Rhode Island prediction.
The Hawks take on the Rams for the first time this season. In 2024-25, they locked horns once, and the Hawks beat the Rams 91-74 as 11-point home favorites with a total of 153.5 points.
Let’s take a closer look at this Saint Joseph’s vs. Rhode Island prediction, one of our NCAAB picks for Saturday’s slate. The tip-off is scheduled for noon PM ET.
Saint Joseph’s shoots for its fourth straight victory
The Saint Joseph’s Hawks (18-10; 14-12 ATS; 9-17 O/U) continue their race for the No. 3 seed in the A-10. They’ve won seven of their previous nine games overall. The Hawks are undefeated in three straight outings, having beaten St. Bonaventure 71-65, Loyola Chicago 75-61, and George Mason 81-63 in the process.
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Last Wednesday, the Hawks cruised past George Mason, playing as slight 1.5-point home underdogs. Saint Joseph’s made 51.6% of its field goals (11-for-30 from downtown) and committed a paltry three turnovers. Senior guard Derek Simpson accounted for 23 points, eight assists, and three steals, while sophomore guard Jaiden Glover-Toscano scored 21 points.
Glover-Toscano is the Hawks’ leading scorer with 15.9 points per game. Simpson averages 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, while sophomore guard Dasear Haskins adds 11.5 points and 6.3 rebounds a night.
Saint Joseph’s is 10-5 in conference play and No. 141 in the NCAA NET Rankings. The Hawks tally 108.1 points per 100 possessions (192nd in the nation) while surrendering 101.9 points in return (44th). Their defense is 33rd in 2-point percentage (47.2%) and 15th in free-throw rate (.264).
Rhode Island is back to losing track
The Rhode Island Rams (15-12, 12-15 ATS; 12-15 O/U) have dropped four of their previous five games overall. After snapping their two-game skid with an 81-76 victory to the A-10-leading Saint Louis, the Rams have suffered consecutive road defeats at La Salle 59-46 and St. Bonaventure 94-76.
Last Thursday, the Rams’ defense fell apart. St. Bonaventure made 55.9% of its field goals (10-for-22 from deep) while scoring 55 second-half points. Rhode Island shot 45.6% from the field (10-for-21 from deep), and senior guard Tyler Cochran led the charge with 21 points and seven rebounds.
Cochran tallies 14.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Junior guard Jonah Hinton averages 13.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, while fellow junior guard Jahmere Tripp posts 12.3 points and 4.0 boards per contest.
Rhode Island is 10th in the A-10 with a 6-9 record. The Rams are No. 137 in the NCAA NET Rankings. They score 106.8 points per 100 possessions (223rd in the country) and surrender 105.5 points in return (100th).
Saint Joseph’s vs. Rhode Island Pick
Spread Pick for Saint Joseph’s vs. Rhode Island
- Saint Joseph’s (4 units)
The Rams have struggled lately. Yes, they managed to beat Saint Louis, but the Rams suffered double-digit losses against La Salle and St. Bonaventure, a couple of teams the Hawks have beaten over the last few weeks.
Saint Joseph’s is arguably a better defensive team than Rhode Island. The Rams are 330th in the country in defensive free-throw rate (.429) and 308th in opposing 3-point percentage (36.3%). They are 11th in defensive turnover percentage (21.3%), but the Rams are quite turnover-prone (304th in turnover percentage, 18.8%).
Hereof, I’m going with the Hawks, who are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games overall. The Rams have covered the spread just twice in their last seven outings at any location.
Over/Under Pick for Saint Joseph’s vs. Rhode Island
- Under (4 units)
Both teams have struggled from deep thus far. Saint Joseph’s is 331st in the country in 3-point percentage (30.6%), while Rhode Island ranks 299th in this category (31.6%).
When it comes to pace, the Hawks register 67.9 possessions per 40 minutes (158th), while the Rams record 65.9 possessions per 40 minutes (261st). With neither side preferring to play fast, I have to take the under.
The Hawks lean on their defense. They will force the Rams into a lot of tough shots. The Hawks have kept their rivals below a 70-point mark in five straight outings, and the under is 6-1 in the Hawks’ last seven games overall.
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