Hawaii vs. UC Irvine Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for Thursday, Jan. 29

A big game in the Big West is set to take place on Thursday night when the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors and UC Irvine Anteaters are set to face each other in a battle between the top two teams in the conference. Both are 7-2 in Big West play heading into tonight's matchup.

Let's dive into the odds and my best bet for this intriguing mid-major showdown.

Hawai'i vs. UC Irvine Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook

Spread

Hawai'i +2.5 (-118)
UC Irvine -2.5 (-102)

Moneyline

Hawai'i +110
UC Irvine

Total

OVER 140.5 (-110)
UNDER 140.5 (-110)

Hawai'i vs. UC Irvine How to Watch

Date: Thursday, January 29
Game Time: 11:00 pm ET
Venue: Bren Events Center
How to Watch (TV): ESPNU
Hawai'i Record: 15-4 (7-2 in Big West)
UC Irvine Record: 14-7 (7-2 in Big West)

Hawai'i vs. UC Irvine Betting Trends

The UNDER is 9-2 in Hawai'i's last 11 games
UC Irvine is 5-0 ATS in its last five games vs. Hawai'i
Hawai'i is 2-10 straight up in its last 12 road games
UC Irvine is 6-3 ATS in its last nine games
The UNDER is 4-1 in the last five meetings between these two teams

Hawai'i vs. UC Irvine Key Player to Watch

Isaac Johnson, C - Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors

Isaac Johnson is already averaging 12.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, but he's going to play an even more important role tonight against UC Irvine. The Anteaters' offensive strategy is to attack the interior of their opponents, so standing in their way in this game is Hawai'i's seven-foot center.

Hawai'i vs. UC Irvine Prediction and Pick

In today's edition of Daily Dunk, I broke down why I'm betting the UNDER in tonight's Big West showdown:

Believe it or not, Hawai'i leads all of college basketball in defensive efficiency so far this season. UC Irvine is also one of the best defensive teams, coming in at 16th in that stat. These two teams also rank 11th and 15th in opponent floor%, keeping their opponent's scoreless possessions at a high rate.

Not only are these two teams two of the best defensive teams college basketball has to offer, but the Anteaters are also one of the worst offensively, ranking 287th in effective field goal percentage. This game has all the signs of being a low-scoring affair.

Pick: UNDER 140.5 (-110) via BetMGM

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!