Halftime Report
Only one more half stands between Hawaii and the win they were favored to collect coming into this evening. They have jumped out to a quick 34-27 lead against Portland.
If Hawaii keeps playing like this, they’ll bump their record up to 8-2 in no time. On the other hand, Portland will have to make due with a 6-7 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who’s Playing
Portland Pilots @ Hawaii Warriors
Current Records: Portland 6-6, Hawaii 7-2
How To Watch
What to Know
The Portland Pilots’ road trip will continue as they head out to face the Hawaii Warriors at 11:00 p.m. ET on December 21st at SimpliFI Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Coming off a loss in a game Portland was expected to win, they now face the more daunting task of proving themselves against unfavorable odds.
It’s hard to win when your shooting is a whole 16.4% worse than the opposition, a fact Portland found out the hard way on Saturday. They took a serious blow against the Antelopes, falling 91-63.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the most dominant came from Chris Austin, who scored 12 points along with three steals. Tyler Harris was another key contributor, scoring 13 points along with nine rebounds.
Meanwhile, the Warriors couldn’t handle the Wolf Pack on Sunday and fell 72-66. It was the first time this season that Hawaii let down their fans at home.
Hawaii’s defeat shouldn’t obscure the performances of Bernardo da Silva, who dropped a double-double on 17 points and ten rebounds, and Noel Coleman who scored 17 points. As a matter of fact, that’s the most points da Silva has scored all season.
The Pilots have traveled a rocky road recently, as they’ve lost three of their last four matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-6 record this season. As for the Warriors, their loss ended a six-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 7-2.
Fans should be in for an exciting game on Thursday as the two teams are among the highest scoring teams in the league right now. Portland hasn’t had any problem running up the score this season, having averaged 77 points per game. However, it’s not like Hawaii struggles in that department as they’ve been averaging 78 points per game. With both teams so easily able to put up points, the only question left is who can run the score up higher.
Portland lost to Hawaii on the road by a decisive 82-64 margin in their previous meeting back in November of 2018. Can Portland avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We’ll find out soon enough.
Odds
Hawaii is a big 9-point favorite against Portland, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 9-point spread, and stayed right there.
The over/under is set at 149.5 points.
See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Hawaii won the only game these two teams have played in the last 5 years.
Nov 10, 2018 – Hawaii 82 vs. Portland 64
