The Hawaii Warriors play the Arkansas Razorbacks in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament from Portland, Oregon. Tip-off is set for 4:25 p.m. ET on TBS.
Arkansas is favored by -15.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -1800. Meanwhile, Hawaii is the underdog at +15.5 with a moneyline of +920. The total is set at 160.5 points.
Here’s my Hawaii vs. Arkansas predictions and college basketball picks for March 19, 2026.
Hawaii vs Arkansas Prediction
My Pick: Over 160.5 (Play to 162)
My Hawaii vs Arkansas best bet is on the over. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Hawaii vs Arkansas Odds
| Hawaii Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+15.5 -112 | 160.5 -105o / -115u | +920 |
| Arkansas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-15.5 -108 | 160.5 -105o / -115u | -1800 |
- Hawaii vs Arkansas spread: Arkansas -15.5
- Hawaii vs Arkansas over/under: 160.5 points
- Hawaii vs Arkansas moneyline: Hawaii +920, Arkansas -1800
Hawaii vs Arkansas College Basketball Betting Preview
Hawaii Basketball
Hawaii beat UC Irvine to win the Big West. Unlike in a few of the other mid-major conferences, that championship game was between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams, and Hawaii's reward is the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Looking at Hawaii, it’s hard to find metrics to back up taking it in this game. The new landscape of college basketball has given the impression of a wider talent gap between the big programs and those similar to Hawaii.
None of the top four seeds are favored by less than double digits. Hawaii comes in as 15.5-point underdog, so I'm more likely to bet this game's total, as opposed to the spread.
Hawaii plays fast, ranking 61st in the nation in adjusted tempo, but it also has an offensive efficiency that ranks 211th.
Hawaii also falls in love with shooting the 3, which isn't a good thing for a team that struggles from beyond the arc. Hawaii ranks 300th in 3-point field goal percentage.
Arkansas Basketball
The Razorbacks have better metrics than Hawaii and amassed those in a conference 10 times tougher.
They'll also have a massive advantage on offense. Like the Rainbow Warriors, Arkansas likes to push the pace. The Razorbacks play at the 20th-fastest tempo nationally and rank sixth in offensive efficiency. They also rank eighth in 3-point percentage.
John Calipari may have switched schools, but he didn't switch philosophies. Arkansas ranks near the top in terms of freshmen minutes, and while the overall roster ranks 140th in individual Division I experience, many of the playing time comes via stars in Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas.
Hawaii vs. Arkansas Pick, Betting Analysis
This spread is too high for me to back Arkansas, but I also can’t justify taking Hawaii, as the talent gap may be too wide.
The total sits at 160.5, and I'm expecting Arkansas to stay true to its season average and knock down a ton of 3s. Both teams play fast, which will force the tempo of this game upward.
I also expect Hawaii to get a little flustered, which could lead to easy, open layups for the Razorbacks. No matter how big the lead may become, Hawaii will keep charging, trying to put points on the board left and right.
My Pick: Over 160.5 (Play to 162)
