Bethesda University vs Hawai'i prediction: Hawai'i's 19 new faces get their first test against Bethesda
Before any Mountain West game, Eran Ganot's rebuilt Rainbow Warriors need to show whether last season's elite defense survived the roster overhaul.
- Hawai'i should control an NCCAA visitor at home; the real interest is how a largely new roster plays together.
- Watch Hawai'i's perimeter defense, which held opponents to 30.0% from three last season, with a mostly new cast.
- No spread or total had been posted as of Oct. 24; last season's pace (71.4 possessions, 31st) hints at a busy game.
A new league, a new roster
Hawai'i opens its first season in the Mountain West after winning the Big West title over UC Irvine last spring. The Mountain West's preseason predicted order of finish has the Rainbow Warriors sixth, with 99 points, behind New Mexico, Grand Canyon, Nevada, UNLV and Wyoming.
Eran Ganot, in his 12th season, opened practice with 19 new faces. Transfers include Marcus Adams Jr. from Arizona State, Manie Joses from Davidson, Kellen Hampton from Pacific and Bol Dengdit from UC San Diego. That turnover makes last season's 24-9 team a loose guide to this one.
Bethesda University is an NCCAA program from Anaheim, not an NCAA Division I team, and little is known about its roster. The Rainbow Classic is a three-game round-robin running Nov. 6 to 9, and this upcoming Friday tip is Hawai'i's opener.
The defense to rebuild
Last season's identity was defense. Hawai'i allowed 98.1 points per 100 possessions, 13th of 365, and opponents shot just 30.0% from three, also 13th. It finished 51st in adjusted defensive efficiency (points allowed per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponents).
The offense was the worry. Hawai'i made 31.6% of its threes, 311th nationally, and its turnover rate of 18.7 per 100 possessions ranked 299th. It compensated by getting to the line: its free throw rate (free throw attempts per field goal attempt) of 41.9% ranked 29th.
What Friday can show
Against an NCCAA opponent, the score matters less than the shape of the night. Do the newcomers protect the ball better than last season's group? Does the defense still chase shooters off the line? Who emerges at point guard?
That last question ties to Tanner Cuff, the 6-foot-7 Evansville transfer who was running the point at the end of fall training in 2025 before a season-ending ACL injury. He appears on this season's roster, but Hawai'i hadn't given a status update on him as of Oct. 24.
Numbers that matter
| Last season's defensive efficiency rank | 13th | Hawai'i allowed 98.1 points per 100 possessions in 2025-26, the backbone of its Big West title run. |
|---|---|---|
| Last season's 3-point percentage | 31.6% | Ranked 311th of 365, the shooting is the biggest question the new roster has to answer. |
| Mountain West preseason poll | 6th | The preseason predicted order of finish slotted Hawai'i sixth in its first Mountain West season. |
Bethesda University vs Hawai'i: quick answers
When is Bethesda University vs Hawai'i?
Friday, November 6, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.