Rainbow Classic week has been a holiday tradition in Hawai'i for 43 years.

Lately, it's also become a winning tradition for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.

"It's the most fun time of the year," senior tri-captain Matt Gibson said. "School is done, family is coming out, Christmas is right around the corner, and there's a whole lot of basketball."

This year's Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic will run Wednesday through Saturday — 12 games over four days.

The Rainbow Classic has been held in late-December every year since 1964, making it the longest-running eight-team tournament in all of college basketball.

"It's a big-time tournament for us, no matter who's in it," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "That's no different this year. There are some good teams in the field. They may not all be household names of college basketball, but still good teams. Our goal is to go out and win it."

Hawai'i, which is 3-4 in Nash's first season as head coach, will host Louisiana-Lafayette on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The Ragin' Cajuns are 2-6 after a 68-67 road victory at Louisiana-Monroe yesterday.

The other teams in this year's field are East Tennessee State, Georgia, Ohio, St. John's, Saint Mary's and Tulane.

The Rainbow Warriors have won seven of the last 10 Classics, including five of the last six. In those 10 years, Hawai'i has a record of 26-4 in the Classic.

"Any time you put on your own tournament, you want to be in a position to win it," Nash said. "We don't set up the tournament every year for other teams to come in here and win it. We want to be the ones taking it every year."

Last year, the 'Bows beat Creighton in the championship game, 76-60. Five current 'Bows — Gibson, Bobby Nash, Riley Luettgerodt, P.J. Owsley and Stephen Verwers — scored in that game.

"It's always a great atmosphere for that tournament," Verwers said. "But last year was really awesome when we beat Creighton for the championship."

In 2004, Hawai'i beat USC for the championship. Gibson was named the Most Outstanding Player of that Classic, and Bobby Nash joined him on the all-tournament team.

"That was my first year here, and I think that's what got the crowd behind me," Gibson said. "It's definitely one of the highlights of my time here."

This year could be tougher than it appears.

Saint Mary's was ranked No. 24 last week, but is expected to drop out of the Top 25 today because of a loss at Southern Illinois last week. Still, the Gaels are 7-1 — the best record among the teams in this year's Classic.

Georgia is 6-1, and some fans are already talking about the 'Bows and Bulldogs meeting for the Classic championship as a precursor for the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the football teams.

"I'd take that," Gibson said. "We've been trying to follow (the football team's) lead all year. Maybe they can follow our lead if we get a shot at Georgia."

Ohio is 6-3, including a road win at Maryland, and a home victory over New Mexico State.

Among the other teams: Tulane, which plays a home game today against Indiana State, is 5-3; St. John's is 4-2; East Tennessee State is 4-5.

"There's so much parity in college basketball now, you can't overlook any team," Nash said. "We have to be at our best for three games in four nights if we want to win it again."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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