The UC Riverside Highlanders take on the Hawaii Warriors in Honolulu, HI. Tip-off is set for 11:59 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Hawaii is favored by 11.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -800. The total is set at 148.5 points.
Here’s our UC Riverside vs. Hawaii predictions and college basketball picks for March 5, 2026.
UC Riverside vs Hawaii Prediction
Pick: UC Riverside +11.5
The UC Riverside vs Hawaii best bet is on the Highlanders 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.
UC Riverside vs. Hawaii Odds
| UC Riverside Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+11.5 -115 | 148.5 -110o / -111u | +550 |
| Hawaii Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-11.5 -105 | 148.5 -110o / -111u | -800 |
- UC Riverside vs Hawaii spread: Hawaii -11.5
- UC Riverside vs Hawaii over/under: 148.5 points
- UC Riverside vs Hawaii moneyline: UC Riverside +550, Hawaii -800
UC Riverside vs Hawaii College Basketball Betting Preview
On the surface, this spread seems too good to be true.
The Warriors are 21-7 on the season and currently sit in first place in the Big West standings (13-5 in league play). On top of their overall success, they obliterated UC Riverside, 88-45, in the teams' first meeting earlier this season in California.
With travel to the islands coming into play in this one, 11.5 points almost seems too low.
But our very own Evan Abrams has a system — "Lose Opp 20, See You Later" — that says otherwise, backing UC Riverside against the spread.
This system has a 4% return on investment (ROI) since its inception and a 5% ROI this season alone (25-21), making it reliable.
In college basketball, teams that previously lost to an opponent by 20 or more points often respond with greater focus and motivation when facing that same team later in the season, particularly in February or March when postseason stakes rise.
These late-season rematches tend to tighten as coaches make tactical adjustments, players remember the earlier loss and effort on the defensive end increases.
When the spread is double digits or higher, the market frequently overestimates the gap between the programs based on the prior blowout.
As a result, the revenge-minded team often performs above expectations against the spread, making these matchups a valuable opportunity to back the underdog in a motivated spot.
Pick: UC Riverside +11.5
