So early in the season?
Yessir, as they say at the Air Force Academy.
If the Rainbows are going to prove to the national pollsters, the WAC, their fans - and themselves - that they are FOR REAL, it starts with the low-flying Falcons in the high mountain air of Colorado Springs.
Tip-off today is at 4:35 p.m. Hawaii time. The game isn't on TV, but will be carried live on the radio (KCCN 1420 AM).
Hawaii is 9-2 overall and 1-0 in conference - and just a few votes away from cracking the top 25. Air Force is 4-6 and 0-1.
Despite the mismatch on paper, UH head coach Riley Wallace sounded nervous over the phone yesterday as he waited for one final practice session with his upstart team.
"They're the most patient team you'll see," Wallace said of the Falcons. "They'll work until they find a weakness.
"They will also pick their spots to run, especially if they see you getting fatigued."
Wallace said there is a good chance the Rainbows will start the game in a zone defense, which would help them stay fresh - and possibly expose the Falcons' weak outside shooting.
"If we do go to a man (defense), we'll do a lot of switching because they set a lot of picks," Wallace added.
Jarmica Reese, a 6-3 junior guard, is the big gun for Air Force with an 18.1-per-game scoring average. Mike Freeman, a 6-9 forward, is second in scoring at 14.9 and is the team's leading rebounder at 5.7 per game.
"We'll probably start Alika (Smith) on Reese if we're in a man," Wallace said. "But we should be able to switch (defenders) on him later."
Smith is the Rainbows' scoring leader with a 17.5 average, with Anthony Carter close behind at 16.8. Carter also leads the WAC in assists (6.4 per game) and steals (3.4 per game).
"We don't match up very well with their size," said Air Force head coach Reggie Minton. "Plus they have deceiving quickness and good team speed.
"We'll have to execute and, of course, make them run up and down the court - at least make them conscious that they are at 7,000 feet (elevation)."
Clune Arena might seem a bit empty as Air Force is averaging only 611 fans per game, although a bigger crowd is expected for today's game.
Hawaii will start Smith and Carter at guards, with 7-1, 265-pound Seth Sundberg (7.0 points, 8.5 rebounds) at center, and 6-8, 195-pound Eric Ambrozich (10.9 points and 6.2 rebounds) at one forward and 6-6, 205-pound Micah Kroeger (10.0 points, 5.5 rebounds) at the other forward.
Air Force is expected to start: 6-6, 210-pound freshman Billy Humphrey (4.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game) at one forward, with Freeman at the other forward. Reese will be at one guard, with 6-3 freshman Dylan Pope (7.1 points) and 6-3 sophomore Jovan Hollins (3.9 points) at the other guard spots in the three-guard attack.
"They're very disciplined and hard-nosed," Wallace said. "They get a lot out of a little."
Wallace said his team's attitude is serious.
"We traveled well," he said of the journey to Colorado Springs. "Everybody on the team seems ready to go."
Hawaii is 23-12 overall against Air Force, but only 7-10 at Clune.
"They're playing well and they're playing hard," Minton said of the Rainbows. "That's a good combination for any team."