Laces vs. Hive Unrivaled Prediction (February 17th, 2026)
The 2026 Unrivaled playoffs are just around the corner, and this year, six teams will make the cut. Only two teams have officially punched their playoff ticket, however, and everyone is still jockeying for position.
That sets up a Tuesday night matchup that is more intense than it’d normally be. The 8-2 Laces are currently the #1 team in Unrivaled and holds the top seed and a bye at the moment. They could coast the rest of the way, but they undoubtedly wouldn’t mind better seeding and a first-round bye.
Naturally, the Laces will come to play, while the 3-7 Hive still are on the outside of the Unrivaled playoff picture, looking in. They’re just one game out of the 6th and final playoff spot, however, so they have serious incentive to steal a win here.
Not sure who to back? FanDuel appropriately has the Laces priced as 7.5-point favorites, with a total set at 138.5. I’ll take a closer look at the odds and the top bets for this game while working my way to a final Laces vs. Hive prediction.
Game Details
- Matchup: Laces (8-2) vs. Hive (3-7)
- Date & Time: Tuesday, February 17th, at 6:30 pm (7:30 pm ET)
- Venue: Sephora Arena in Medley, FL
- How to Watch: TNT, TruTV, and HBO max
Early Season Performance & Trends
Laces BC
The Laces are in a really good spot at the moment, as they are 8-2 and have the best record in Unrivaled. They are in the 2026 Unrivaled playoffs, but they need to keep winning to lock up a top seed and first-round bye.
Brittney Sykes and Co. started the season off with a 58-42 win over the Vinyl, but got tripped up in just their second game by the Mist in a wild 83-81 shootout. They’ve had several tight games, but they won five in a row before falling to Vinyl at the end of January.
They got revenge on the Mist to kick off February, and topped the Lunar Owls by four to get to 8-2. If they can get to 9-2, they’ll create further distance between the Phantom and Mist with just three more regular-season contests to go.
Hive BC
Kelsey Mitchell and Sonia Citron have balled out for the Hive, but they haven’t done enough to get this team to a winning record.
The Hive lost their opener to a good Mist squad, and were already 0-3 before getting their first win of the year in an exciting 78-75 shootout over Rose. The Hive outlasted the Lunar Owls a few games later and tacked on their third win of the season in their most recent affair – a two-point win over the Breeze.
Despite their shaky record, the Hive have a chance to sneak into the playoffs. With a tough matchup with the Phantom later on their schedule, the path to the 6th seed doesn’t get any easier, however.
Head‑to‑Head / Historical Context
The Hive and Laces faced off earlier this year, and the Laces came out on top in an easy 70-52 win. The victory pushed the Laces to 5-1 at the time, while the Hive dropped to 1-5.
The Hive had a really tough time from long range, shooting just 22%. Sonia Citron paced the team with 14 points, but she shot just 6-of-16 from the field. The Hive also nearly got doubled up on the glass, with the Laces snatching 33 rebounds to the Hive’s 17.
Key Matchup Breakdown
The Laces have a very deep and balanced offense. They rank 3rd in scoring with 71.9 points per game, and they are fantastic at sharing the ball (2nd in assists).
Brittney Sykes leads the charge with 19.9 points per game, and she also plays the most minutes on the team. Sykes is also their top threat from downtown (42.3%) and shoots almost 50% from the floor.
Even when Sykes has an off game, the Laces are tough to beat, as Alyssa Thomas can be a double-double machine and averages 11.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. She is quite the force inside, too, as she shoots 65.8% from the floor.
Jackie Young (16.4 ppg) is the team’s second leading scorer, giving the Laces three exceptional offensive pieces to rely on. Young also gives this team another quality option from long range (34% from three), while Maddy Siegrist (33%) is also a threat from deep.
The Hive rank dead last in scoring (65.7) and also average just 9.4 assists per game (8th).
Kelsey Mitchell (17.4) and Sonia Citron (16.6) are the top-scoring options for the Hive. Citron has not been reliable from deep, but both have shot above 47% from the floor, and Mitchell has been fantastic (37%) from deep.
The problem is that if they’re not bringing their A-game, the Hive tends to suffer offensively. Monique Billings chips in over 14 points per game as a third option, but she’s also not a reliable shooter from long range. Billings does take care of business (10.9 rpg) in the rebounding department, however.
This team has an inside/outside game, but they are not overly efficient, they lack reliable depth, and they’re not a consistent threat from behind the arc.
The Hive does not do a good job on the glass. Billings does all she can, but she’s the only real force on a team that ranks 7th in Unrivaled at rebounding. The Hive do not have an elite defense, as they have allowed 70+ points in nine of 10 games on the season.
The Laces are solid in the rebounding department, ranking 4th with 32.4 rebounds per game. They are also quite active in the passing lanes and with their on-ball defense, racking up 5.0 steals per game (2nd).
There are some key matchups to watch ahead of this Laces vs. Hive tilt:
- Rebounding Battle: Monique Billings can dominate the glass, but the Hive needs her to crush and someone else to step up. With Alyssa Thomas on the other side, the Hive really needs to perform above expectations to win the rebounding battle.
- Laces perimeter defense vs. the Hive perimeter defense: The Laces have a marksman in Sykes, and they have two other players knocking down at least 33% of their threes. If their three-point shooting shows up on Tuesday, the Hive could be in trouble.
- Damage Down Low: Alyssa Thomas wasn’t really needed in the first game, which ended up being a blowout. She only logged seven minutes, but her inside game should be utilized here, and I don’t think the Hive can stop her.
Betting Odds & Market Interpretation
Check out the latest Laces vs. Hive odds at FanDuel:
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
Laces | -7.5 (-113) | -350 | Over 138.5 (-113) |
Hive | +7.5 (-113) | +255 | Under 138.5 (-113) |
The Laces vs. Hive odds indicate an easy win for the favored Laces. They certainly have had the better record and easily won the first meeting, so the pricing makes sense.
The game total sounds about right as well, seeing as the Hive have allowed 70+ points in nearly every game they’ve played.
From a Bettor’s Lens
Betting on the Laces ML doesn’t make much sense, so this game comes down to whether or not you think the Hive can give them problems. My immediate gut impulse is to hammer the Laces to cover, as the Hive have let several games get away from them on the year.
The game total is a bit tricky. On one hand, the Hive are not scary defensively. They give up a good amount of points pretty consistently, and they’re running into one of the top Unrivaled offenses. The issue is that the Hive’s offense might not keep up enough to hit the Over.
Best Bets & Confidence Levels
| Bet | Recommendation | Confidence Level |
|---|---|---|
Laces ATS -7.5 (-113) | The Laces are tough to stop and we saw that in the first meeting in this matchup. They should have their way offensively, while they’ve won by 7+ in four different games this year. | 8/10 |
Under 138.5 (-113) | The Laces will put up points, but they beat the Hive by 18 last time, and they have a better defense. Don’t be shocked if their ability to dominate this matchup plays into the Under hitting. | 7/10 |
With Unrivaled playoff stakes rising, Laces vs Hive odds continue to adjust. Monitor line movement at our trusted sports betting sites.
Final Score Prediction & Closing Thoughts
Final Score Prediction: Laces 76, Hive 60
My main Laces vs. Hive prediction is that the Laces get the win. You aren’t betting on their big moneyline, though, so I’d rather get value by betting on them to cover the 6.5-point spread.
It’s a hefty spread, but the Hive are not a team we can trust, and the Laces beat them by 18 earlier this year. This is a classic trap game for the Laces if they’re not careful, but considering the #1 seed is still fluid, they know they need to dial in and take care of business.
From a talent, matchup, and execution perspective, this is an easy call. I think the Laces being able to dominate the Hive keeps the game total in check, too. They should get to 70+ points fairly easily, but they’ll have more success defensively to help this game stay under the 139.5 total.
