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POSTED: Friday, November 14, 2008

For the first time all preseason, the Hawaii men's basketball team will be at full strength tonight for its season opener against San Francisco.

               

     

 

 

RAINBOWS BASKETBALL San Francisco (0-0) at Hawaii (0-0), 7:35 tonight, KFVE, Ch. 5; KKEA, 1420-AM

Depth becomes a key factor as the Rainbows play three games in four days starting tonight.

Newcomer Roderick Flemings is fluid after spraining an ankle, and point guard Hiram Thompson feels well enough to play after battling a pulled hamstring.

“;It gives us rotations, a little bit more depth,”; coach Bob Nash said. “;Three games in four days—we don't expect guys to play for 30, 35 minutes.”;

Hawaii lost four starters and 79 percent of its scoring from last season, and will turn to newcomers such as Flemings to pick up the slack.

The Rainbows and Dons jump at 7:35 p.m. on the first day of the Verizon Wireless Tip-Off Classic. UH students can get in for free.

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2008-09 RAINBOW WARRIORS GAME-BY-GAME BREAKDOWN

Includes commentary from staff writer Brian McInnis * WAC games

» Today, San Francisco SSC 7:35 p.m.: USF coaching debut for Rex Walters ... The Dons went 2-13 on the road last season ... second straight West Coast Conference season-opening opponent for UH.

» Sunday, Cal State Fullerton SSC 5:05 p.m.: Hasn't played UH since 1985 ... Titans went 24-9, won Big West and earned first NCAA berth in 30 years last season ... Josh Akognon (20.2 ppg) is lone returning starter.

» Monday, Idaho State, SSC, 11 p.m.: Will have “;Midnight Madness”; feel to game as part of ESPN's College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon, a 24-hour period of hoops ... one of two guaranteed national TV games for UH.

» Nov. 24, Iowa State, SSC, 7:05 p.m.: First meeting between the teams ... Only guaranteed BCS conference opponent UH will face at home ... Cyclones won the 2005 Rainbow Classic over Colorado State.

» Dec. 1, Prairie View A&M, SSC, 7:05 p.m.: Hawaii won only meeting between teams in 1999 ... Panthers lost top two scorers of last season, Brian Ezah (13.1 ppg) and Aaron Smith (11.6 ppg) for a team that went 8-22.

» Dec. 8, at Illinois, 3 p.m.: Return game from last year ... Fighting Illini beat UH 79-77 in comeback at Stan Sheriff Center ... UH is 0-5 vs. Illinois ... 'Bows lone road trip of nonconference schedule.

» Dec. 13, Eastern Washington, SSC, 7:05 p.m.: Last meeting was in 1970 ... UH is 3-0 vs. the Eagles ... Coach Kirk Earlywine enters second season at EWU ... only nine players lettered for team last year.

» Dec. 15, Chicago State, SSC, 7:05 p.m.: First meeting between the teams ... Cougars return four starters ... only D-I independent UH plays this season ... top returnees are David Holston (23.1 ppg, 5.1 apg) and John Cantrell (15.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg).

» Dec. 23, UC Riverside, SSC, 7:05 p.m.: Return game for last year's ESPN BracketBusters contest in Riverside, won by the Highlanders 79-62 ... Returns four starters but not leading scorer Larry Cunningham ... UCR was picked to finish last in the Big West.

» Dec. 27, Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic: Vermont vs. George Washington SSC 5 p.m.; Colorado State SSC 7:30 p.m.: Defeated Hawaii 67-61 in 2005 Rainbow Classic semis ... Marcus Walker (17.1 ppg) is top returnee for the Rams, who went 7-25 last year ... Former WAC member leads series with UH 22-21.

» Dec. 28 Buffalo vs. Pepperdine SSC 5 p.m.; Colorado vs. Coppin State SSC 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 29 Consolation round/semifinals; Dec. 30 Consolation/championship

» Jan. 3, Boise State*, SSC, 7:05 p.m.: WAC's most potent offensive team last year lost key all-conference players Reggie Larry (19.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg) and Matt Nelson (15.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg) ... Broncos beat Hawaii 78-71 at SSC on senior night, first loss to BSU at home.

» Jan. 5, Louisiana Tech*, SSC, 7:05 p.m.: Preseason all-conference pick Kyle Gibson (16.5 ppg) returns ... Bulldogs went 6-24 last year, finished last in WAC ... Hawaii shot 53 percent at SSC vs. LTU last year.

» Jan. 8, at Idaho*, 5:05 p.m.: Vandals lead series 8-4, but UH has won four of six WAC contests ... Idaho lost its top two scorers, Jordan Brooks (12.4 ppg) and Michael Crowell (10.9 ppg).

» Jan. 10, at Boise State*, 4:05 p.m.: Teams play each other twice within a week ... Hawaii last won at Boise in 2005-06 ... Broncos swept the 'Bows in three games last year, including knocking UH out of the WAC tournament quarterfinals en route to an NCAA appearance.

» Jan. 17, San Jose State*, SSC, 7:05 p.m.: Hawaii has more wins against the Spartans (22) than any other current WAC member ... Matt Gibson scored the winning basket with 11 seconds left to left UH to a 65-64 win last year in Honolulu.

» Jan. 22, at Nevada*, 5:05 p.m.: Wolf Pack have dominated meetings in Reno with UH with a perfect 11-0 margin ... Nevada was picked to win the WAC regular season for the fifth straight year ... Recruiting class ranked 26th in nation by Rivals.com.

» Jan. 24 Utah State SSC 7:05 p.m.: WAC player of the year Jaycee Carroll couldn't lead the Aggies to victory in Honolulu despite putting up 27 points ... Five Rainbows scored in double figures in the 71-66 victory, the team's last win of the year.

» Jan. 29, at Louisiana Tech*, 3 p.m.: Kyle Gibson went 11-for-11 from the free throw line to put the Bulldogs over the Rainbows in Ruston ... Hawaii hasn't beaten LaTech on the road since 2004.

» Jan. 31, at New Mexico State*, 4 p.m.: Rainbows are winless (0-3) in Las Cruces ... Marvin Menzies put up a school record for wins (21) in a coach's first year at NMSU ... Aggies have played in two consecutive WAC title games.

» Feb. 5, Fresno State*, SSC, 7:05 p.m.: UH earned its first back-to-back win of the year vs. the Bulldogs at home ... UH owns a 10-8 lead in games played in Honolulu ... FSU has led WAC in 3-pointers made for last two seasons.

» Feb. 7, Idaho*, SSC, 7:05 p.m.: Vandals avenged home loss to Rainbows by topping UH 85-77 in overtime at the SSC ... Most points Idaho scored on the road since Feb. 12, 2000.

» Feb. 14, Nevada*, SSC, 7:05 p.m.: Wolf Pack held Hawaii to 38 percent shooting on in loss at SSC last year ... UNR lost top players Marcelus Kemp (20.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and JaVale McGee (14.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg).

» Feb. 19, at Fresno State*, 6 p.m.: Hawaii is just 3-14 in Fresno ... Bulldogs lose four starters from last year ... top returnee is guard Dwight O'Neil (8.8 ppg) ... second ESPN game of the year for UH.

» Feb. 21, ESPN BracketBusters, SSC, TBA: Rainbows will host annual event for first time in three years after road contests at Long Beach State and UC Riverside ... UH is 3-3 in BracketBusters games.

» Feb. 26, at Utah State*, 4:05 p.m.: Since winning an NIT game at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum in 2004, Hawaii is 0-3 in Logan ... Aggies were one of four teams to post 12-4 regular season records in the WAC.

» Feb. 28, at San Jose State*, 5 p.m.: Only WAC team which Hawaii has a lead in the series on the road (8-6) ... Spartans return all five starters from last season.

» March. 7, New Mexico State*, SSC, 7:05 p.m.: Idaho and NMSU are only WAC schools to lead the series in Honolulu ... Rainbows' 23-point win at SSC was their most lopsided of conference season.

» Mar. 10-14, WAC tournament, (Reno, Nev.)