MOSCOW, Idaho — The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team wanted to get heated, but not in this way.

Senior point guard Matt Gibson — who leads the team in scoring at 16.6 points per game and assists at 4.1 per game — will be a game-time decision when the Rainbow Warriors play at Idaho today because of disciplinary reasons.

Gibson attended yesterday's practice at Cowan Spectrum on the Idaho campus, but did not participate.

"It's a case of insubordination," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "I haven't decided how to handle it yet."

The 'Bows could certainly use Gibson against a much-improved Idaho team. The Vandals finished last in the Western Athletic Conference each of the last two seasons

However, Idaho is 5-13 overall and 2-5 in the WAC this season. Last season, the Vandals were 4-27 and 1-15.

Hawai'i is 7-11 overall and 3-3 in the WAC after a 95-80 loss at Boise State on Thursday.

Today's game will start at 5:05 p.m. (Hawai'i time) and will be broadcast via radio on ESPN 1420 AM.

The 'Bows made the trek from the cold of Boise to the cold of Moscow — a one-hour flight to Lewiston, followed by a 45-minute bus ride. Temperatures were in the single-digits in Boise, but it was an almost tolerable 25 degrees in Moscow yesterday.

"It's beautiful, actually, with all the snow on the mountains," senior forward Bobby Nash. "A lot better than Boise."

With Gibson observing from the team bench, the 'Bows practiced for two hours yesterday in a place that was their low point of last season.

Idaho's lone WAC win of last season was a 76-75 victory over Hawai'i at Cowan Spectrum.

"Some bad memories here, definitely," senior forward P.J. Owsley said. "But it's a new year and they have a whole new team that's supposed to be a lot tougher, so we have to be ready."

Bobby Nash added: "It's in the past. But that was a game that really hurt at the time. So of course, you want to get them back this time around."

The Vandals are coming off a 74-63 home victory over San Jose State on Thursday.

Bob Nash was particularly concerned with one statistic from that boxscore: Idaho guard Mike Hall shot 9 of 10 from 3-point range and finished with 29 points. In Hawai'i's loss at Boise State, the Broncos went 14 of 22 from 3-point range.

"Obviously, we have to make some quick adjustments on defense," Nash said. "We can't let a team shoot for that kind of percentage against us again, and Idaho is certainly capable of that. We're undermanned, so it makes it that much harder for us to come back when we let the other team get off to a good shooting night."

Playing without Gibson — who scored a season-high 26 points in the loss at Boise State — wouldn't make it any easier.

The first team during yesterday's practice featured Riley Luettgerodt, Jared Dillinger, Bobby Nash, Owsley and Bill Amis. Nash, Luettgerodt and Dillinger would share point guard duties if Gibson does not play.

True freshman Kareem Nitoto — who scored 10 in the loss at Boise State — would also get extended time.

The 'Bows have already played without Gibson this season. He missed the first four games due to a knee injury, and sat out the first half of a game against Georgia in December for disciplinary reasons.

"Anybody we put out there has to do the job," Bobby Nash said. "Of course, we want Matt out there. He's our leader, our point guard, and Idaho has a good point guard, too. But if something happens, you make adjustments."

Idaho point guard Jordan Brooks, a 6-foot-3 junior, leads the Vandals in scoring with 12.9 points per game, rebounding with 5.4, and assists with 4.1 per game.

He is the only player on the team averaging double-figure points, as head coach George Pfeifer likes to split the minutes almost equally among 10 Vandals.

"They have depth, and they have good personnel," Bob Nash said. "They have guards who can score from the perimeter, and they have some skilled big guys. We're going to have our hands full."

In any case, Nash was pleased with his team's focus yesterday, especially after the loss at Boise State and the situation with Gibson.

"These guys travel well and they're resilient," he said. "I thought we had a good practice today, even though it was a travel day. We just have to carry that into the game."

If anything, Hawai'i will not have to deal with much of a crowd at Cowan Spectrum. The Vandals are averaging around 1,000 fans per home game this season.

However, the set-up is different. The basketball court is placed on the turf of the Idaho football team's domed stadium.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.