California is a pretty good dark horse in this tournament. But before we think of them even reaching the South Region final, they’ll need to take on a pretty tough Hawaii squad in the Round of 64. Hawaii has flown under the radar all season long, despite winning the Big West tournament. The Rainbow Warriors have plenty of capable scorers to counter California’s talent. But can they do it on the biggest of stages?
There’s plenty more college hoops action to be had. Check out our complete previews for West Virginia vs. Stephen F. Austin and Villanova vs. UNC-Asheville for more on March Madness.
March Madness News & Predictions
- 2016 March Madness Sleepers Predictions and Picks
- 2016 March Madness Longshots and Best Long Shots Picks and Predictions
- 2016 March Madness Preview
- 2016 NCAA March Madness Expert Picks
March Madness No. 4 California vs. No. 13 Hawaii Preview
Where: Spokane Arena, Spokane
When: Friday, March 18, 2:00 PM ET
Line: California Golden Bears (-7) vs. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (+7); total 143.0 – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: TBS
Betting on the California Golden Bears
There’s no secret to California’s success: They have a handful of NBA prospects on the team. Freshman Jaylen Brown has lived up the hype by averaging 15 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. He’s projected to be a top-three pick in the NBA Draft. Then there’s Ivan Rabb, projected as a top-10 pick, averaging 12.5 points and 8.5 boards per game for the Golden Bears.
It’s not all about scoring for the Golden Bears. They’re pretty sound defensively, limiting opponents for 67 points per game (60th in the NCAA). They use their height extremely well, ranking 30th in the nation in rebounds per game (40). California has virtually everything they need in every aspect of the game through their talented players.
California is 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games.
Betting on the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
Don’t sleep on Hawaii. They’re pretty good with a handful of talented scorers. Junior Stefan Jankovic is averaging 15.2 points per game. Aaron Valdes is second on the team, chipping in 14.6 points per game. Meanwhile, point guard Roderick Bobbitt runs the offense pretty smoothly with 13.3 points and 5.5 assists per game.
The Rainbow Warriors are excellent at spreading the ball among their incredible scorers. They’re ranked 38th in the NCAA with 15.8 assists per game. They don’t have a signature win this season, but came oh-so-close to upsetting then-No. 3 Okalhoma in December. Babbitt starred in that 84-81 loss, with 32 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals.
Hawaii is also pretty sound defensively. They allow just 66.5 points per game this season, 50th in the nation. They also play very physical, committing plenty of fouls. Hawaii averaged 24.6 fouls per game in their five losses this year. Getting in a gritty and physical game could help Hawaii take advantage of California’s inexperience. The Golden Bears haven’t reached the Sweet 16 since 1997, the year one of their top players (Ivan Rabb) was born.
The Rainbow Warriors are 3-1 ATS in their last four games as underdogs.
Writer’s Prediction
Tempers flare in a pretty evenly-matched and physical game. California survives Hawaii’s upset bid but the Rainbow Warriors cover +7.
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