Hawaii Rainbow Warriors vs UC Riverside Highlanders Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Hawaii vs UC Riverside NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Riverside.

Hawaii vs UC Riverside Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Rainbow Warriors versus the Highlanders? Tip off is at at 10:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at SRC Arena in Riverside, CA. The over/under for this game is set at 133.5 points, and UC Riverside is favored by -2.5 vs. Hawaii in a Big West conference matchup.

Hawaii vs. UC Riverside Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at UC Riverside Highlanders
Where: Riverside at SRC Arena
Date: Thursday, January 9th
Betting Odds UCRVS -2.5, HAWAII +123 | UCRVS -152 O/U 133.5

Rainbow Warriors Preview: Will the Rainbow Warriors Defense Show Up on the Road?

Hawaii improved to 7-5 on the season with a 68-55 win over Cal Poly on Sunday. Playing at home, the Rainbow Warriors were favored by 5.5 points and covered the spread. The game’s total points of 123 fell well short of the 153.5 O/U line.

Hawaii led 27-22 at halftime and pulled away in the second half, outscoring Cal Poly 41-33 after the break.

Rainbow Warriors Offense Breakdown

Hawaii's offense put up 68 points in their last game, shooting 45.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 51%. They hit 7 of 21 from beyond the arc, shooting 33.3%, and connected on 75% of their free throws, going 15 for 20.

Gytis Nemeiksa led the way with 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists, hitting 3 of 6 from deep. Tom Beattie and Owen Koonce each added 15 points, with Beattie shooting 66.7% from the field. Tanner Christensen chipped in 11 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 80% from the floor.

Rainbow Warriors Team Defense

Hawaii's defense held their opponent to 55 points, despite allowing them to shoot 45% from the field. The Rainbow Warriors gave up 16 two-point baskets on 30 attempts, a 53% conversion rate.

From beyond the arc, Hawaii's opponent hit 7 of 21 threes, shooting 33%. They also went to the free-throw line 20 times, making 15 of those attempts, for a 75% success rate. Hawaii allowed 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Highlanders Preview: Does UC Riverside Stand a Chance at Home?

UC Riverside Highlanders Recent Game/Games

UC Riverside fell to 8-6 on the season after an 81-57 loss to UC Irvine on Saturday. The Highlanders, who were +8.5 point underdogs, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points came in at 138, just under the O/U line of 141.5.

Riverside led 35-29 at halftime but struggled in the second half, scoring just 22 points while allowing 52. This collapse was a key factor in the loss.

Highlanders Offense Breakdown

UC Riverside struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 31.7% from the field and 24% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 36.5%, and they managed only 8 assists as a team.

Barrington Hargress led the Highlanders with 20 points, despite shooting 35.3% overall and 30% from three. Justin Hohn added 17 points, hitting 57.1% of his shots, while Myles Che contributed 16 points and 7 assists.

Highlanders Team Defense

UC Riverside struggled defensively, giving up 81 points while allowing the opposition to shoot 49% from the field. The Highlanders had particular trouble inside, where they allowed 60% shooting on two-point attempts.

From beyond the arc, UC Riverside's defense held their opponent to 31% shooting, with 7 made threes. However, they sent the other team to the free-throw line 28 times, where they converted 20 free throws at a 71% rate.

Rainbow Warriors vs Highlanders Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Although Hawaii has a straight up record of 0-3 in their last three road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 68 points per game in these games.
Through their last three home games, UC Riverside has an ATS record of just 1-2. However, their overall record was 1-2 while averaging 62 points per game.
As the betting underdog, the Rainbow Warriors have an ATS mark of just 2-3 in their last five games. Hawaii posted a straight up mark of 1-4 in these matchups.
The Highlanders have played well in their last five games as the betting favorite, going 4-1 straight up and 3-2 against the spread.