The Arkansas Razorbacks landed a four seed in the South Region of the bracket, and they’ll face off against the thirteen-seed Hawaii Rainbow Warriors.
Arkansas vs. Hawaii opening odds
No. 13 Hawaii returns to the NCAA tournament at 26-7 after storming through the Big West, extending the most successful stretch the program has enjoyed in nearly a decade. The Rainbow Warriors do not show up quietly. They score 83.9 points per game, shoot 48.6% from the field and 37.8% from three, and move the ball with real intent—17.6 assists per night in a system that wants the game flowing from sideline to sideline. Hawaii’s March history is modest but memorable; the program owns nine NCAA appearances and still carries the echo of its 2016 tournament win over California, the only victory the school has ever recorded on this stage.
The roster fits the style. Guard play drives everything. Senior scorer Noel Coleman averages 17.4 points per game and shoots better than 40% from deep, while point guard Justin McKoy orchestrates the attack with 6.3 assists a night. Forward Bernardo da Silva gives the lineup interior ballast at 13.2 points and 7.8 rebounds, allowing Hawaii to run without losing its grip on the glass. When the Warriors look good, the game opens up into a pacey, shot-heavy rhythm where transition threes and quick ball reversals start piling pressure onto defenses.
Arkansas greets that approach with the scale of a high-major contender. The Razorbacks arrive 25-9 after surviving the SEC schedule and bringing one of the deeper tournament pedigrees in the field: 36 NCAA appearances, six Final Fours, and the 1994 national championship still looming over every March run in Fayetteville. This year’s group plays with a familiar Arkansas profile—84.6 points per game, relentless pressure on the ball, and a defense that forces 15.1 turnovers per night. Guards DJ Wagner and Trevon Brazile headline a roster built on athleticism and waves of length that can flip games quickly once the pace rises.
