Compelete Schedule (html) (pdf)

HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i released its 2013-14 men's basketball schedule which features 19 home games at the Stan Sheriff Center and is also highlighted by 10 opponents that made the postseason last year, including no less than four non-conference foes that qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
 
Fans will get their first glimpse of the Rainbow Warriors—a mix of six letterwinners, four returning redshirts and seven newcomers—when they hold a Green & White scrimmage on Saturday, Oct. 19 at the Stan Sheriff Center. Admission is free.
 
The Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Rainbow Classic officially opens UH's 2013-14 season. The 'Bows will tip the season off Nov. 8 against Tennessee State (18-15) in a round-robin tournament which also includes Western Michigan and New Mexico State. All three opponents qualified for the postseason last year with Western Michigan (22-13, MAC West Division) and New Mexico State (24-11, WAC) claiming their respective conferences.
 
As previously announced, UH's match-up versus New Mexico State on Nov. 12 at midnight will be part of ESPN's College Hoops Tip-off Marathon. It will be the sixth straight year that the 'Bows participate in the nationally televised event.  
 
Following the Classic, UH heads to the road to play national power Missouri in a game played at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. It will mark the first time that UH plays a non-conference game east of the Rockies since a contest at Illinois in 2008.
 
UH will then return home to host a trio of games versus UH Hilo (Nov. 21), New Orleans (Nov. 27) and NCAA qualifier and Big SKy champion Montana (Nov. 29), before heading out on the road again for a game at Northern Arizona (Dec. 5). Both the Montana and Northern Arizona match-ups are return contests as part of the ESPN BracketBusters event.   
 
UH's annual pilgrimage to the neighbor islands will take place on Dec. 14 when the 'Bows travel to the Garden Isle for a contest versus Chaminade at Kaua'i High School in Lihu'e. UH played Chaminade on Moloka'i last season and also made trips to Maui (2010, '11) and the Big Island (2011) in recent years.
 
 "We are thrilled again to be travelling to the neighbor island to play in front of our neighbor island fans," head coach Gib Arnold said. "Kaua'i is the last of the islands that has a regulation NCAA wooden floor. If Larry Ellison builds one on Lana'i, we'd love to go there also."
 
Christmas week brings the fifth annual Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic (Dec. 22-23, 25). Six of the eight teams in the field made the postseason last year, highlighted by NCAA Tournament squads Akron, Iowa State, Saint Mary's and Boise State—UH's first-round opponent. Rounding out the field are George Mason, Oregon State and South Carolina.
 
UH will complete its non-conference schedule with home games versus NIT qualifier Norfolk State (Dec. 30) and Division I newcomer Omaha (Jan. 3).
 
Arnold on the non-conference schedule: "Our team will be tested early with three very good squads in the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Rainbow Classic. We have two very tough trips to Northern Arizona and national power Missouri and those should really prepare us for the rigors of Big West play. Of course the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic will again be one of the premier tournaments in the country and we weren't given any favors by being put in a bracket with Boise State, Saint Mary's and South Carolina. Overall, this is a very challenging preseason schedule and one of the toughest in terms of teams in our league."
 
UH begins its second season in the Big West Conference with a 16-game league slate following the departure of Pacific, which joins the West Coast Conference. The 'Bows open up at Cal Poly on Jan. 9 and will play four of its first five league games on the road. Its lone home game during the stretch will be versus UC Riverside on Jan. 18.  Hawai'i closes the Big West regular season at home versus Cal State Fullerton on March 8.  The 2013 Big West Tournament be held March 13-15 in Anaheim, Calif.
 
"I was very impressed last year with the teams in the Big West," Arnold said. "I thought the guard play and athleticism were outstanding. All the coaches are in agreement that Big West will be an even better conference this year and every game should be competitive and exciting."