The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team went back to basics in its preparation for tomorrow's game at Boise State.

The Rainbow Warriors practiced in a tiny gym at a YMCA in downtown Boise, Idaho yesterday.

"It's not a big, fancy arena, but all these guys grew up playing in YMCAs and rec centers, so it's like going back to those times," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "We're not going to use it as any kind of excuse not to be ready."

Hawai'i will play Boise State in a Western Athletic Conference game tomorrow at 4:05 p.m. (Hawai'i time) at the Taco Bell Arena.

Nash said Boise State's facilities were not available during daylight hours.

"I didn't think lying around the hotel all day was such a good idea," he said. "So we made arrangements to practice where we could find a gym, and that's a place that was available."

The 'Bows will get a chance to practice in the Taco Bell Arena tonight.

Nash said he does not blame Boise State for the facilities scheduling. Most visiting teams to Hawai'i are given the same option of practicing only in the evenings.

"That's standard procedure," he said. "We could have practiced in the arena (last night) if we wanted to, but I thought it would be better to get our workout done during the day so the guys can rest at night."

The 'Bows arrived in Boise on Monday night after a two-hour delay in San Francisco. They were greeted by temperatures in the teens in Boise.

The 'Bows, who are 7-10 overall and 3-2 in the WAC, will need to stay warm against a Boise State team that has won seven of its last nine games. The Broncos are 13-5 and 4-2.

Boise State is coming off an impressive 95-80 road victory at Nevada on Saturday. Two days prior, the Broncos lost, 82-78, at first-place Utah State.

"The thing I was pleased with the most was I thought we competed and played hard both nights and are playing pretty good basketball right now," Boise State coach Greg Graham said.

The Broncos have the WAC's best frontcourt in 6-9 Matt Nelson, 6-7 Tyler Tiedeman and 6-6 Reggie Larry.

Larry has emerged as a candidate for WAC Player of the Year, averaging 19.0 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. Nelson is contributing 15.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game; Tiedeman is scoring 13.3 per game.

But Graham is concerned about tomorrow's matchup because the 'Bows usually employ four perimeter players in Matt Gibson, Jared Dillinger, Riley Luettgerodt and Bobby Nash.

"They've gone to four guards and really create a lot of problems ... they like to spread you out and shoot you," Graham said.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.