The Hawaii Warriors take on the UC Irvine Anteaters in the 2026 Big West Championship in Henderson, Nevada, on Saturday, March 14. Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
UC Irvine is favored by 2 points on the spread with a moneyline of -150. Hawaii, meanwhile, enters as a +2 underdog and is +125 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 138.5 total points.
Here’s my Hawaii vs. UC Irvine prediction and college basketball picks for Saturday, March 14.
Hawaii vs UC Irvine Prediction
My Pick: UC Irvine -2.5
My Hawaii vs UC Irvine best bet is on the Anteaters to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Hawaii vs. UC Irvine Odds
| Hawaii Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2 -110 | 138 -110o / -110u | +125 |
| UC Irvine Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2 -110 | 138 -110o / -110u | -150 |
- Hawaii vs UC Irvine Spread: UC Irvine -2, Hawaii +2
- Hawaii vs UC Irvine Over/Under: 138 Points
- Hawaii vs UC Irvine Moneyline: Hawaii +125, UC Irvine -150
Hawaii vs UC Irvine Big West Championship Betting Preview
UC Irvine Anteaters Betting Preview
UC Irvine's Russell Turner is one of the top mid-major coaches in the country, and he has a strong defensive ethos. The Anteaters rank 21st nationally in defensive efficiency, per KenPom.
Turner deploys his big man, Kyle Evans, who leads the nation in blocks, in a drop coverage, which aims to cut off scoring at the hoop. And it works, as UC Irvine holds opponents to just 42% shooting on 2s — the best mark in college basketball.
The Eaters also don't foul, so the opponent has to be pinpoint from 3 or bury them on the glass.
However, I can't find a nice thing to call UC Irvine's offense; it's just terrible. It ranks 255th in offensive efficiency, the fourth-worst in the Big West despite being the best team.
Turner's squad used to shoot well in past years, but UC Irvine is shooting a woeful 33% from deep this year. Although, the Anteaters went 10-for-25 from 3 in the semifinals and thrashed CSUN.
Jurian Dixon is the only consistent shooter on UCI's roster. He leads the team with 15 PPG and shoots 38% from deep. Evans scores on the interior, mainly on feeds from Derin Saran and Tama Isaac.
Saran is the key here. He drilled three triples in UCI's win over CSUN and scored 23 points. UCI needs that version of him again.
We know UC Irvine has a good offensive performance in it. It's not impossible, but uncommon.
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Betting Preview
Hawaii was the second-best team in the Big West all season long. The long-armed Rainbow Warriors finished 14-6 in conference play and split with the Anteaters.
Just like UC Irvine, Hawaii is elite on the defensive end.
That should come as no surprise, given that head coach Eran Ganot spent years learning from Randy Bennett. Ganot leads Hawaii to the 50th-most efficient defense in the country, holding opponents to 47% shooting on 2s and 30% on 3s.
On the offensive end, the Rainbow Warriors only have two ways of scoring. One is scoring inside, as they shoot an efficient 55% from inside the arc. The other is reaching the foul line, where Hawaii posts a 43% free-throw rate and makes 73% of them.
The interior scoring is a byproduct of Hawaii's massive length. In terms of average height, Hawaii stands 26th in the country.
Four of Hawaii's five starters are 6-foot-6 or taller, with the versatile 7-footer Isaac Johnson patrolling the five-spot. Johnson has a feathery touch from deep and is very athletic for a 7-footer.
His interior partner, Harry Rouhliadeff, is also a shooting option, hitting 42% of 3s.
Ganot also has a pair of solid bench bigs in Gytis Nemeikša and Yacine Toumi, who both played in the Big East.
The issue is the guard play. The Bows lost point guard Aaron Hunkin-Claytor to an injury, so now it's a makeshift point guard situation. Dre Bullock and Hunter Erickson have to play point at times, but it's an uncomfortable position for both.
The one offensive player who can change things is Isaac Finlinson. The former JUCO standout can be a weapon with his 6-foot-8 frame and versatile scoring skillset.
Hawaii vs UC Irvine Pick, Betting Analysis
UC Irvine outplayed Hawaii in both regular-season meetings. To beat UCI the first time, the 'Bows needed a miracle midrange game-winner from Erickson.
What it boils down to is, does Hawaii have the guard play to puncture the paint and take what the drop gives you? I don't think the Rainbow Warriors do with their lack of guard play.
Plus, the strength of this Hawaii team is scoring inside, and nobody limits teams from scoring inside better than UC Irvine.
Take the matchup advantage with the Anteaters.
My Pick: UC Irvine -2.5
