Hawaii Rainbow Warriors

The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors bring island pride to the Big West, playing in front of a devoted fan base at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu. As one of the most geographically unique programs in Division I, Hawaii has built its identity around tenacious, well-coached basketball that occasionally springs NCAA Tournament upsets against much bigger programs. The distance and travel demands of competing from the middle of the Pacific make every road trip a challenge, adding to the program's scrappy, us-against-the-world reputation. When the Rainbow Warriors get hot, Honolulu becomes one of the loudest arenas in the conference.

Hawaii basketball has made six NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently in 2026, but the program's breakthrough moment came in 2016 when 13th-seeded Hawaii upset fourth-seeded California for the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament win. The Rainbow Warriors spent 33 seasons in the Western Athletic Conference before joining the Big West in 2012, where they have remained competitive for conference titles. The program has never advanced past the tournament's early rounds, but its underdog wins have made it a recognizable name during March Madness. Hawaii's basketball story is defined by resilience and the occasional bracket-busting moment.