The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team wants to make the most of its eight-day break between games.

And not only on the basketball court.

This is "finals week" for the fall semester on the UH campus, so the players' primary focus has been on tests and term papers.

"The first reason why these guys are here is because of school," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "This week is final exams, so that's why we we're not playing any games. It's a university policy, and I think it's a good one."

The Rainbow Warriors defeated Chicago State, 85-75, on Monday to improve their record to 5-3. Their next game is scheduled for Tuesday against UC Riverside.

The eight-day break is the longest the team will have between games this season.

The 'Bows did not practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, but returned for a grueling workout yesterday.

"We needed those two days off — at least I know I did," junior forward Bill Amis said. "I spent practically all 48 hours straight in the library. My brain is a little fried right now."

Nash was not exactly pleased with the tired effort of the 'Bows yesterday, and he made them pay for it with extra running drills.

"You can tell some of these guys were up all night," Nash said. "But you can't use that as an excuse. These guys knew what the schedule was and they should have been fully engaged and ready to go for practice today. Obviously, they weren't so I had to get their attention.

"Being a student-athlete means you have to be mentally tough, whether you're preparing for class work or your next opponent, or both."

Nash is concerned because the 'Bows will play four games in the eight-day stretch from Dec. 23 to 30, including three games in four days during the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic.

"We have to put in a lot of stuff over these next few days because we're preparing for several games in a short period of time," he said. "Right after Tuesday's game, we go into the Rainbow Classic, and then we get right into the (Western Athletic Conference) after that."

AMIS' ALMA MATER PLAYING HERE THIS WEEK

Amis said he will try to attend the 'Iolani Classic this week to watch Putnam City High School.

Amis is a 2006 graduate of the school from Oklahoma City, Okla. Putnam City won the state championship his senior season.

This season, Putnam City features the top-ranked prospect in the country in 6-foot-6 guard Xavier Henry. When Amis was a senior, Henry was the most valuable player of the state tournament as a freshman."He's a stud," Amis said. "He'll be a stud in college, too."

Henry has announced that he will play for Memphis next season. Amis said he will not try to convince Henry to transfer to Hawai'i.

"I don't think I have that kind of pull," Amis said with a laugh.

Former UH guard Matt Gibson is also a Putnam City graduate.

NOTES

Hawai'i junior guard/forward Roderick Flemings currently leads all WAC players in scoring with 19.5 points per game. The last Hawai'i player to lead the conference in scoring was Anthony Harris in 1996 (22.4 points per game). Utah State's Gary Wilkinson — who was recruited by Hawai'i — is second in scoring with 18.8 per game.