The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team can't afford to gamble this week.

Not against these kinds of odds.

The Rainbow Warriors are scheduled to take on the top two teams in the Western Athletic Conference this week — Nevada on Thursday, and Utah State on Saturday.

Utah State is 17-1 overall and in first place in the WAC at 5-0. Nevada is 11-7 overall and in second place at 4-1.

Hawai'i, which is coming off a disappointing 73-61 home loss to San Jose State on Saturday, is 9-8 overall and in eighth place in the WAC at 1-4.

As if that weren't enough, the WAC is sending the 'Bows on a whirlwind trip.

The team is scheduled to depart Honolulu today, and arrive in Reno, Nev., late tonight. The 'Bows are 0-11 against the Wolf Pack in games played in Reno.

After the Thursday night game against Nevada, the 'Bows must then leave Reno on Friday morning to return to Honolulu for Saturday's game against Utah State at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Assuming there are no flight delays, the 'Bows will likely have to go straight from the Honolulu airport to the practice gym on Friday to prepare for Utah State.

"We know it's a quick turnaround, but that's the schedule that was given to us by the WAC," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "We can't change it, so why worry about it now. We're focused on Nevada and getting a win there. Then we'll focus on Utah State once the Nevada game is over."

Although gambling is legal in Reno, Nash managed to find a hotel without a casino for the 'Bows to stay in this week. The team will stay at the slot-less Hampton Inn for three nights, starting tonight.

"I just want to make sure our guys get their rest and not get caught up in all that stuff," Nash said. "We've got a tough game at Nevada, and then we don't have much time to get back home and get ready for Utah State, so it'll be better for us to stay away from the bright lights and all the bells and whistles in the casinos."

Utah State will play a road game at San Jose State on Thursday, and is expected to arrive in Honolulu on Friday — probably before Hawai'i returns from Reno.

"(Hawai'i is) looking at traveling both ways, so far be it from us to complain about the travel on that one," Utah State head coach Stew Morrill said.

Nash, who was an assistant/associate coach at UH for 23 seasons before becoming the head coach in 2007, said it is the first time he could remember a Hawai'i team having to make such a demanding trip.

WAC commissioner Karl Benson said he didn't have "specific information" on the process of Hawai'i's schedule, but said an odd number of teams in the conference is contributing to the odd scheduling.

"We've said all along that a nine-team league results in these single trips," Benson said. "And we do have a unique and peculiar situation with Louisiana Tech on the eastern side and Hawai'i on the western side."

The problem for Hawai'i is, this week's trip will not be a unique situation.

The 'Bows will be put through it again next month when they play a road game at Fresno State on Feb. 19, and then have less than 48 hours to return to Honolulu and prepare for the ESPN BracketBusters game on Feb. 21.

NOTES

Hawai'i junior guard/forward Roderick Flemings continues to lead the WAC in scoring with 17.6 points per game. New Mexico State's Jahmar Young is second with 17.1 points per game.