It's not the championship game yet, but the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team will play a big game tonight.

The Rainbow Warriors will host Colorado State in a semifinal game of the 42nd annual Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic at 7:30.

Both teams have relied on size for their early season success.

"Big on big," is how Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace described the matchup with the Rams. "Size-wise, we're equal with them. I think we match up well with them — better than we did with (Loyola Marymount)."

The 'Bows, who are the four-time defending champions of the Rainbow Classic, improved to 5-2 after a 66-63 victory over Loyola Marymount in Tuesday's first round. The Rams beat Western Michigan, 87-69, and are off to one of the best starts in school history at 8-1.

"It'll be one of the few teams that's actually as big as we are, so it'll be a good test," CSU head coach Dale Layer said. "If you look at it, Hawai'i is actually bigger than us at a couple of positions, so we're going to have to be running on all cylinders."

The 'Bows will start 6-foot-3 Deonte Tatum and 6-6 Matt Lojeski at guards, 6-9 Julian Sensley and 6-9 "Big Matt" Gipson at forwards, and 6-7 Ahmet Gueye at center. Chris Botez, a 7-foot center, is also expected to get significant time in reserve.

The Rams will counter with 6-foot Corey Lewis and 6-2 Stephan Gilling at guards, 6-4 Micheal Morris and 6-9 Michael Harrison at forwards, and 7-foot Jason Smith at center. Among the key reserves are 6-5 Freddy Robinson and 7-foot Stuart Creason.

"It doesn't matter who you play, or how big they are, you always have to be ready," Gueye said. "It's going to be interesting to see because most of the teams we play are smaller than us."

The Rams have four players averaging double-figure points, led by the 7-foot Smith. He is averaging 17.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.8 blocked shots per game. CSU leads NCAA Division I with 8.2 blocked shots per game.

Harrison blocked four shots and scored a career-high 24 points on 11-of-12 shooting against Western Michigan.

"Our big guys are obviously a big part of what we do," Layer said. "But we feel like we have some shooters as well who can keep the pressure off our big guys."

Gilling hit six 3-pointers in Tuesday's game, and the Rams are averaging 6.1 3-pointers per game.

"They have size, but their perimeter guys also have quickness and can shoot it," Wallace said. "We have to be on our toes defensively at every position."

Gueye, who will likely have to defend Smith, is averaging 14.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots per game.

"I've gone against bigger guys before," Gueye said. "It's not just about me. We all have to help each other on defense to make it work."

NOTE

Reserve center Milos Zivanovic quit the team yesterday to return to his home country of Serbia & Montenegro. Zivanovic, a 6-11 senior, got limited playing time during his tenure at Hawai'i. He missed most of this season with a broken left thumb, and appeared in just one game. He scored 39 points and grabbed 55 rebounds in 57 career games.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.