Both the Nevada Wolf Pack and Hawaii Rainbow Warriors enter Sunday’s showdown in Honolulu with just one loss as both teams search for a win that figures to look very good in March.
Nevada Wolf Pack (-2, 143) vs. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
Both teams entered Saturday with two of the best defenses west of the Mississippi River with Nevada 19th in the country in points allowed on a per possession basis while Hawaii is 65th, but this is a Nevada team that has allowed 14.6 points more per 100 possessions when in a road or neutral court environment than at home.
The offense of Nevada also has not been the same when away from home, as the team overall entered the weekend 60th in points scored on a per possession basis, but averaging 22.9 points fewer per 100 possessions in a road or neutral court environment than at home.
The Rainbow Warriors look to the backcourt to try control the game as the team entered Saturday 21st in the country in 3-point shooting percentage at 39.3% while on defense the team is allowing opponents to get only 21.1% of their points from made 3-pointers, which ranks 11th in the nation.
The Nevada defense has been more than willing to allow opponents to take shots from the outside with 39.2% of the points the Wolf Pack have allowed this season coming on made 3’s, the 12th-highest percentage in America.
The first look at the basket will have increased importance in this game with the way both teams are denying offensive rebounds with Nevada allowing opponents to rebound 20% of their missed shots in games away from home while Hawaii is allowing opponents to get an offensive rebound on just 23.5% of their missed shots.
While Nevada has been stout on defense, it has been a slightly lucky defense as well with opponents making only 58.3% of their free throws against them, the second-lowest opponent free throw shooting percentage in the country.
With Hawaii making 78.1% of their free throws at home this season, the Wolf Pack’s free throw luck should dry up and the Rainbow Warriors’ ability to control the perimeter will send Nevada to their second loss of the season.
The Play: Hawaii Moneyline +120
