Nash fills out ’Bows’ schedule with Alcorn, Coppin

Hawaii basketball coach Bob Nash wanted to keep the Rainbow Warriors busy early in his first season in charge of the program.

He finished a nonconference slate that includes two home-and-home series and dates with NCAA Tournament participants Illinois and Long Beach State prior to the annual Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic.

"It's a balanced schedule in terms of not having any long breaks other than in December when we have finals," Nash said.

"Having Illinois in there and getting New Mexico to do a home-and-home, with (new coach) Steve Alford, there's some good quality teams. It's a schedule that will test us early, and we'll need to be ready."

A Nov. 27 game with Coppin State was the final piece of the 29-game regular-season schedule that was released yesterday.

The Rainbows open the season Nov. 9 against San Diego, then play Illinois a week later as the Illini stop by on their way to the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

The home schedule continues with Alcorn State (Nov. 18), Coppin State, LBSU (Dec. 9), the Rainbow Classic (Dec. 19-22), New Mexico (Dec. 27) and Centenary (Dec. 30).

UH plays Louisiana-Lafayette to open the Rainbow Classic, which includes Ohio, St. John's, Tulane, St. Mary's, East Tennessee State and Georgia.

The 'Bows' nonconference road trips will take them to The Pit to play New Mexico on Nov. 21, and to San Diego on Dec. 2.

The Western Athletic Conference season begins with a road trip to Utah State (Jan. 3) and San Jose State (Jan. 5).

The 'Bows' first WAC home game will be against four-time regular-season champion Nevada on Jan. 12.

UH is again entered in the 100-team ESPN BracketBusters event on Feb. 23 and will play on the road for the second straight year.

They close the regular season March 8 with a game against defending WAC tournament champ New Mexico State in Las Cruces, site of the conference tournament.

The UH staff initially planned on hosting a season-opening doubleheader. But Texas A&M-Corpus Christi asked out to play in the NIT Season Tip Off Tournament, and Cal State Northridge also backed out, forcing a change of plans. They filled the holes with Alcorn State and Coppin State.