Kareem Nitoto's first start as a member of the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team last season was both memorable and forgettable.

He remembers it well for two reasons. For one, it turned out to be the only start of his true freshman season. Second, he scored 13 points, which was his career-high at the time.

But it is a game he doesn't like recalling because the Rainbow Warriors got upset at UC Riverside, 79-62.

The 'Bows and Highlanders will meet again tomorrow, but this time at the Stan Sheriff Center, where Hawai'i is on a five-game winning streak.

"I feel like we should have won that game, even if it was on the road," said Nitoto, who is now Hawai'i's regular starting point guard. "I think this is a chance for us to prove that we're a much better team. But at the same time, (UC Riverside) is a different team from last year, and we're a different team from last year."

Nitoto started the game at UC Riverside last season because starting point guard Matt Gibson sat out with a knee injury. Nitoto shot 2 of 3 from the field and 8 of 8 on free throws — mostly because of aggressive drives to the basket.

"They're probably going to be looking for me to repeat the same type of performance," Nitoto said. "But I'm just going to play the game we're supposed to play to win. What ever it takes."

Tomorrow's rematch is a mandatory "return" game for Hawai'i's trip to Riverside, Calif., last season.

At the time of last season's meeting, Hawai'i was 11-13 and UC Riverside was 6-17. This season, the 'Bows are 5-3, and the Highlanders are 7-2.

"You can't compare last year's game to this year," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "Some of the same personnel is there, but in different roles."

Tomorrow will be Hawai'i's first game in eight days. Due to final examinations, the 'Bows have not played since an 85-75 home win over Chicago State on Dec. 15.

"We gave the guys a couple days off to study, but school's out now so all they have to concentrate on is basketball," Nash said. "There's no excuse not to be ready."

Tomorrow's game will be the first of four games in an eight-day stretch for Hawai'i. The 'Bows will play in the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic on Dec. 27, 29 and 30.

'BOWS STILL HURTING; PRACTICES SHORTENED

Hawai'i has been limited to 10 players in recent practices due to minor injuries to several players.

Because of the limited numbers, the practices have been running shorter than normal.

"When you go full-court (5-on-5) and you don't have any subs, the guys are getting their conditioning in," Nash said. "That's why we haven't been going too long. We only have 10 guys right now and we don't want to run them into the ground. It should change once we get everybody back."

Most significant among the injured players are starting forwards Bill Amis and Adhar Mayen.

Amis has missed the last three practices with a knee injury. Mayen has been limited in the last two practices because of an injured finger.

Amis and Mayen are both expected to play tomorrow. Amis said he will try to practice today.

Paul Campbell has been starting in place of Amis in practice, and Lasha Parghalava has been filling in for Mayen.

"We'll be healthy for the game," Parghalava said. "It's just basketball injuries, and you have to rest sometimes. If we had a game today, trust me, nobody would be sitting on the side."

Freshmen reserves Adam Jespersen and Ji Xiang have also missed recent practices after suffering concussions in separate practice incidents.

Redshirt freshman Gary Satterwhite has been out since October with a shoulder injury. He is still about a month away from returning to practices.

'BOWS GET IN FESTIVE SPIRIT EARLY WITH PARTY

The 'Bows held their annual Christmas party on Saturday — five days before Christmas — due to the hectic schedule coming up.

"We have a game (tomorrow) and then there's a lot of stuff we have to do for Rainbow Classic right after that," Nash said. "So we did it early this year, and it worked out great. We had a lot of fun."

In what has become an annual tradition, the freshmen on the team had to provide the entertainment — singing Christmas carols.

"I'll give them an A," Parghalava said. "They had a couple guys who could really sing."

Nitoto, who endured the ritual last year, said: "It wasn't as good as last year's performance."

This year's group ranged from the musically inclined Beau Albrechtson to the English-challenged Ji Xiang.

"I'm not sure if Ji knows any of the words to Jingle Bells, but he did a good job mimicking the words," Nash said.