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Hawaii/Utah State- <>I like this Hawaii team.  They struggled earlier in the season considering there road schedule was awful and remember it is worst for them considerin the time difference.  Since they were able to settle in back at home they have been able to play some better basketball.  6-1ats in their laast 7 games and they have been playing considerably better on defense allowing 7.9 pts less and 3.9fg% less than their season average in the last 5 games.  There offense has also taken a bump at 4% better than their season average, but the biggest difference has been their rebounding.  They own a +10.6rebound margin in the last 5 games and in the first match up Hawaii was out rebounded by 14 at home against Utah State that should change tonight.  So you may be thinking to yourselves if Utah State beat Hawaii on the road by 15 why can't they win by more than that at home?  Well for one thing Hawaii is still playing for something here.  They are currently 6th in the WAC and they do  not want to be 8th or 9th and have to play in a play in game come tournament time.  Secondly they shot horribly from the field and beyond the arch in that game something they have improved upon as of late.  Third reason that I mentioned before is their schedule.  They were just coming off three road games in their last 4 games and playing a  hot Utah State team.  I looked at some similar situations for Hawaii of how they faired against a team the second time around.  They lost at Idaho by 20 points in the first match up only to win at home by 22 in the second meeting (+42 point turn around).  They lost by 12 at home to Boise State and played them on the road to lose by just 5 (+7 point turn around).  Lost at Nevada by 11 and played them again at home and lost by 1 (+10 turn around)  They won by 1 at home to La Tech and won by 1 on the road in the second match up to La Tech.  They did not win by more, but what is important is that they played on the road and got the win against a Nevada team that definately had revenge from losing to Hawaii by one.  That shows me a lot.  Tonight I think they will hang tough with Utah State and I think 15 points is far too many.  I would not be shocked to see Hawaii upset Utah State as they just are not playing very well right now.

Take Hawaii +15 (8** WAC GOY)<>

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