St John's MN's surge outweighs W Connecticut's unbeaten start

Two unbeaten records look similar on paper, but Versus sees a different story. St John's MN is 2-0 and W Connecticut is 1-0, yet the ratings put 34 spots between them in Division III, with the Johnnies at No. 41 and the Wolves at No. 75. That gap reflects how fast St John's MN has moved, climbing 50 spots from a preseason rank of 91 on the strength of an A+ power grade and an A+ offense.

St John's MN enters on a two-game winning streak, including a 95-57 win over WI Superior on Nov. 7 that was its most lopsided victory since February 2025. That offense, ranked 18th in the division, projects to be the deciding factor in this non-conference game, with Versus forecasting a 77-73 St John's MN win and giving the Johnnies a 60 percent chance to prevail.

W Connecticut, meanwhile, has slipped 14 spots since the preseason and remains a defense-first team, carrying an A defense ranked 27th but only a B+ offense ranked 122nd. The Wolves opened with a 66-45 win over Manhattanville on Nov. 11 and have won seven straight at home dating to January 2026, a streak that will be tested against the division's hottest riser.