Hawaii Rainbow Warriors vs UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Picks and Predictions for Saturday, January 17, 2026
Use Code WWWC The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors continue a conference road trip in California Saturday night with a 9:00 PM match-up inside the Thunder Dome in Santa Barbara, CA, against the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, and we have you ready to roll with our Hawaii vs UC Santa Barbara prediction. Hawaii has 13 wins and 3 losses coming into Saturday, following a 20-point road victory in its last outing. The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos return home Saturday night with ten wins and seven losses on the season and a 3-3 record in conference. The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors have won four of the last five, including two in a row, following their double-digit victory in their last outing. The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos come into Saturday following a six-point road victory to end a three-game losing streak. Read more about this Hawaii vs UC Santa Barbara prediction! Struggling with handicapping? Try our NCAAB Predictions!
Rainbow Warriors try to stay on top of the conference
Offensively, Hawaii has been solid this season, averaging 79.9 points on 47% shooting from the floor. Defensively, Hawaii has held its own, holding opponents to 63.6 points per game this season, and has given an average of 59.5 points per game over its last four victories. Defensively, Hawaii was phenomenal in its last game, allowing 66 points on 39% shooting from the floor and 25% from beyond the arc. Offensively, the Rainbow Warriors rolled, pouring in 86 points on 52% shooting from the floor and knocking down 6 triples in the game. Hawaii pulled in 35 rebounds and forced 23 turnovers in the win. Dre Bullock led the way for the Hawaii starters with 20 points on 13 shots in 26 minutes. Hunter Erickson chipped in 15 points, and Isaac Johnston poured in 11 points in 20 minutes. Gytis Nemeiksa led the way off the bench with 21 points on 15 shots in 28 minutes.
Isaac Johnson leads the Hawaii offense this season, averaging 12.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Dre Bullock is second on the team, averaging 12.3 points, while Gytis Nemeiksa averages a 4th-best 10.6 points per game. Harry Rouhliadeff is third on the team this season, averaging 11 points per game. Aaron Hunkin-Clayton is averaging 6.3 points to go along with the team’s leading 4.1 assists per game.
Key Injury Report for Hawaii:
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- Tanner Cuff (Out) - Knee
UC Santa Barbara tries to make it 2 in a row
The UC Santa Barbara offense has been solid enough this season, averaging 78.9 points per game on 47% shooting from the floor. Defensively, UC Santa Barbara has held their own this season, allowing 74.2 points per game, but has given up an average of 87.3 points per game over their last three losses. Defensively, UC Santa Barbara did just enough in their last outing, giving up 69 points on 47% shooting from the floor and 17% from beyond the arc. Offensively, UC Santa Barbara was the better team, scoring 75 points on 45% shooting from the floor and knocking down 10 triples in the game. The Gauchos pulled in 32 rebounds and forced 8 turnovers in the win. Colin Smith led the way for the UC Santa Barbara offense with 16 points on 26 shots. Miro Little chipped in heavily with 12 points and 28 minutes as the only other starter on the roster in double figures. Zion Sensely scored 13 points in 21 minutes off the bench, while CJ Shaw added 28 minutes off the bench to score 10 points on seven shots.
Aidan Mahaney leads the UC Santa Barbara offense this season, averaging 14.2 points and 2.8 assists per game. Miro Little is second on the team, averaging 12.5 points, while CJ Shaw averages 11.3 points per game. Colin Smith is 4th on the roster this season, averaging 11.1 points per game. Zion Sensely averages 10.4 points and leads the team, pulling in 7.3 rebounds per game this season. Jason Fontenet II has averaged 6.6 points per game this year for the Gauchos, but has played only 6 games.
Key Injury Report for UC Santa Barbara:
Jason Fontenet II (Out) - Knee
Hawaii vs UC Santa Barbara Pick
- Hawaii vs UC Santa Barbara Spread Pick
Hawaii is the better team in this matchup, and the Rainbow Warriors are stronger on both sides of the ball. Look for Hawaii to continue its current hot streak against a mediocre UC Santa Barbara team. Take on the role of warriors to set the tone early and control the game from the outset, leading to victory. Take Hawaii Saturday afternoon to get their 6th conference win of the season with a road win and cover in California.
- Hawaii vs UC Santa Barbara Over/Under Pick
Both teams have mediocre offenses and solid defenses coming into this game. Look for Hawaii to control this game with its stout defense against a struggling UC Santa Barbara team. Expect points to come slowly throughout Saturday night's matchup as each team looks to grind out a victory. Take the under Saturday night as Hawaii pulls off the win and cover in Big West Conference play against UC Santa Barbara.
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