Long Beach St vs Hawai’i Odds, Lines and Spread
- Hawai’i has lost three of its last four games as it prepares to host Long Beach State in the first game of a two-game Big West series at 11:59 pm ET Friday
- The Beach has won two games in a row but has played only five games since Jan. 9 because of coronavirus issues within the program
- Check the odds, analysis and betting predictions, below
Hawai’i (8-8, 6-8 Big West) will play host to Long Beach State in the first game of a two-game Big West series at 11:59 pm ET Friday as the Rainbow Warriors conclude their regular-season home schedule. They have lost four of their last five games.
Long Beach State (5-7, 4-4) brings a two-game winning streak into the series, one that has postseason tournament seeding implications for both.
Long Beach St vs Hawai’i Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Beach St 49ers | TBD | +8 (-110) | 144.5 (Over-116) |
| Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors | TBD | -8 (-110) | 144.5 (Under-106) |
Odds from FanDuel on Feb 25.
Long Beach State has paused its program three times this season because of coronavirus protocols and had six games cancelled in a three-week period beginning Jan. 15, including a two-game series at league leader Cal Santa Barbara.
The Beach will play out of California for the first time this season this weekend.
Planting the Seed
Because of myriad coronavirus stoppages throughout the Big West this season, the standings are tight and a scramble remains to finish among the top six and thus secure a first-round bye in the 10-team conference tournament in Las Vegas from March 9-13.
.@chefboyjardine always cookin’. #HawaiiMBB #GoBows pic.twitter.com/snn0bKOqiF
— HAWAII BASKETBALL (@HawaiiMBB) February 10, 2021
Hawai’i and Long Beach State are among seven league teams within two games of each other entering the final two weeks of the regular season. No. 1 Cal Santa Barbara (10-2 in league) and Cal Irvine (8-4) are the only teams that are more than two games above .500.
The outcome of the series means more to the Rainbow Warriors, who are one of three teams that are two games under .500 entering the weekend.
The bottom four finishers in the regular season meet in a pair of play-in games to advance to the tournament quarterfinals.
Together at Long Last
Long Beach State finally had its three-headed backcourt together for a home series against Cal Poly last weekend, and it worked out well.
Guards Michael Carter III, Chance Hunter and Isaiah Washington combined for 79 points, 38 rebounds and 16 assists in a two-game home sweep of the last-place Mustangs. Each has played 10 games this season, but was the first time all three had been on the floor at the same time in conference play.
Washington, a 6-foot-1 senior transfer from Iona, leads the team with 15.5 points and 4.3 assists per game. Carter III is averaging 14.4 points and Hunter is averaging 11.2 points and 5.2 rebounds.
Washington is fourth in the league in scoring and fifth in assists.
Hawai’i Seniors Playing a Big Role
Senior transfers Casdon Jardine and James Jean-Marie have meant a lot to the Rainbow Warriors in their first seasons in the program.
Six-7 Jardine, who previously played at Boise State and Utah Valley State, leads the team in scoring and rebounding with averages of 12.3 and 5.3. He has made a team-high 28 3-pointers and leads the Big West at 46.7 percent.
Jean-Marie, 6-8, is averaging 12.1 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 54.4 percent from the field, second in the league. He played at San Diego two years ago before transferring.
They are the only two seniors on the roster as the Rainbow Warriors prepare to host senior weekend.
By the Numbers
Long Beach State has won six of the last nine in the series, but the Rainbow Warriors have won three of the last four on the island.
The Beach’s Carter made the first of two free throws with three seconds remaining for a 50-49 victory in Hawaii last season, which not only broke the Rainbows Warriors’ three-game home series winning streak but also broke their five-game home winning streak.
Chance Hunter with 14 points including this runner, Michael Carter III with 15 and Isaiah Washington with 10 as Long Beach State finishes off Cal Poly again, 74-69 on Saturday! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/PdSZStPAB8
— LBSU Mens Basketball (@LBSUhoops) February 21, 2021
Hawai’i is 4-5 at home this season, 3-4 ATS in league play. Long Beach is 1-6 on the road, 3-4 ATS. Each split a road series at Cal State Fullerton. The Beach split a home series against Cal State Bakersfield while Hawai’i lost both in a home series against Bakersfield.
The Beach’s last four games have been decided by an average of 3.3 points.
Jack has covered college and professional sports for various Arizona media outlets since the 1980s and has written for the Associated Press, USA Today and Baseball America, among others. He staffed the 2015-17 World Series and has staffed four Super Bowls.
