Hawaii Rainbow Warriors vs UC Riverside Highlanders NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/9/25
Planning on watching today’s Rainbow Warriors and Highlanders game? Catch the action at SRC Arena in Riverside, CA, as the Highlanders hosts this showdown at 10:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this Big West conference contest is set at 133.5 points, with UC Riverside being favored by -2.5 at home against Hawaii.
HAWAII RAINBOW WARRIORS VS UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: UC Riverside Highlanders -2.5
This game will be played at SRC Arena at 10:00 ET on Thursday, January 9th.
WHY BET THE UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Highlanders.
- Not only will UC Riverside pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -2.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 133.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.
Can Hawaii Grab a Win on the Road?
Hawaii improved to 7-5 on the season with a 68-55 home win over Cal Poly on Sunday. The Rainbow Warriors entered the game as -5.5 favorites and covered the spread. The total points for the game were 123, well under the O/U line of 153.5.
Hawaii led 27-22 at halftime and pulled away by scoring 41 points in the second half while holding Cal Poly to 33 points.
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 53.3% of their two-point attempts and 33.3% from beyond the arc, connecting on 7 of 21 threes. At the free-throw line, they shot 75%, making 15 of 20 attempts.
Gytis Nemeiksa led the way with 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists, shooting 46.2% from the field and 50% from three (3/6). Tom Beattie and Owen Koonce each added 15 points, with Beattie shooting 66.7% overall. Tanner Christensen contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds, hitting 80% of his shots.
Hawaii’s defense held their opponent to 55 points, even though they allowed them to shoot 45% from the field, with 23 made baskets on 51 attempts.
From beyond the arc, Hawaii’s opponent shot 33%, hitting 7 of 21 three-point attempts. They also went to the free-throw line 20 times, making 15 of those shots.
Can the Highlanders Secure a Win at Home?
UC Riverside Highlanders Recent Game/Games
UC Riverside fell to 8-6 on the season after an 81-57 road loss to UC Irvine on Saturday, January 4th. The Highlanders entered the game as +8.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 138, just under the O/U line of 141.5.
Riverside led 35-29 at halftime but struggled in the 2nd half, scoring only 22 points while allowing 52 to the Anteaters.
UC Riverside struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 31.7% from the field and 24% from three-point range. 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, though he shot 35.3% from the field and 30% from deep. Justin Hohn added 17 points, shooting 57.1% overall, while Myles Che contributed 16 points and 7 assists.
UC Riverside’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 81 points on 49% shooting from the field. The Highlanders allowed their opponent to connect on 60% of their two-point attempts, with 20 makes on 33 tries.
From beyond the arc, UC Riverside held their opponent to 31% shooting, as they went 7/22 from three-point range. The Highlanders also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 28 times, where they converted 20 for 71%. UC Riverside allowed 9 offensive rebounds.