No. 10 North Carolina Tar Heels Face Unbeaten Hawaii Warriors in Pre-Maui Invitational Showdown

The No. 10 North Carolina Tar Heels are set to face the undefeated Hawaii Warriors in a highly anticipated college basketball matchup. This game, scheduled for early Saturday morning at 12:30 a.m. ET, serves as a tune-up for North Carolina ahead of the 2024 Maui Invitational. The Tar Heels, currently with a 2-1 record, are looking to adjust to the time change before entering the prestigious eight-team event, which includes the two-time reigning national champion UConn.

The game will be played at the SimpliFI Arena at Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu and will be televised nationally on ESPN2. Hawaii, boasting a perfect 4-0 record, is eager to capitalize on their strong start to the season. The Rainbow Warriors have shown resilience, most recently winning 73-68 in overtime against Weber State on Sunday.

North Carolina, led by head coach Hubert Davis, features a potent offense with All-American RJ Davis and sophomore standout Elliot Cadeau. Davis averages 17.7 points per game, while Cadeau and junior guard Seth Trimble each contribute 15.7 points. Junior forward Jalen Washington adds 11.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. The Tar Heels have covered the spread in four of their last six games.

Hawaii, meanwhile, is driven by Tanner Christensen, who averages 17.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Christensen, a transfer from Utah Tech and Idaho, was named the Big West Conference Player of the Week following his 25-point performance against Weber State. The Rainbow Warriors have been stout defensively, not allowing more than 69 points in any of their first four games.

The betting lines favor North Carolina, with a spread of -16 points and an over/under of 151.5 points. The money line stands at North Carolina -1852 and Hawaii +970. The game is expected to be a competitive matchup, with the SportsLine model simulating the game 10,000 times and leaning towards the under and a specific point-spread pick that hits in over 50% of the simulations.