The more you see the University of Hawaii men’s basketball team succumb to the top teams in the Big West Conference, the more you have to wonder if the Rainbow Warriors are being betrayed by their choice of nonconference schedule.

A slate that should have been preparing the ‘Bows to rise in crunch time seems, instead, to be leaving them lacking.

Is it just a coincidence that UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara and Long Beach State, all of whom are ahead of the Rainbow Warriors in the standings and still in the regular-season title hunt, also have better strength of schedule numbers?

RealTimeRPI.com, for example, ranked the ‘Bows’ strength of schedule 252 out of 351 NCAA Division I schools after Thursday’s loss to the Anteaters. Meanwhile, Long Beach State was 92, UC Irvine 167 and UCSB 191. Among nine conference teams, UH ranked sixth in strength of schedule.

Beating the conference bottom feeders, such as Saturday’s opponent, UC Davis (8-18, 3-8), hasn’t been a problem for the 18-8 (7-5 Big West) ‘Bows. But taking down the big boys, even on the friendly Stan Sheriff Center floor, has.

Maybe there wouldn’t be such a struggle if more quality opponents had forced UH to shoot from outside in earlier months.

In a so-called one-bid league like the Big West, where only the tournament champion figures to get an NCAA invite, the akamai teams look at the schedule as preparing them for the stretch run. There is less concern about taking lumps in November and December if the lessons can yield dividends in February and March.

The idea is to win the conference regular season, if you can, and secure the top seed, but make sure you put your best jump shot forward come the conference tournament.

It is why Long Beach State, while it opened with Hawaii Pacific, followed it up with Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina State, Creighton, Missouri, Washington, USC, etc. The 49ers know that while their overall record (12-14) might suffer, the objective is to be primed for the Big West stretch run.

UH got $50,000 and a test against Missouri and had Boise State and Oregon State. But it also coasted with Tennessee State, New Orleans, Chaminade and UH Hilo. How much do you think the ‘Bows really gleaned from that 114-63 blowout of the Vulcans?

Part of the problem is that UH, through the language in coach Gib Arnold’s contract, makes it lucrative to win games without regard to caliber of opposition. One clause adds a year to his contract if, during the 2013-14 season, UH wins "at least 20 games (including conference tournament and postseason games) without regard to end of season Sagarin strength of schedule ranking …"

Women’s basketball coach Laura Beeman does not have that in her contract, which might be one reason why the Rainbow Wahine have ridden a No. 79 strength of schedule ranking to second place so far.

You’d hate to see the ‘Bows leave the Honda Center in a couple of weeks knowing they could have been better prepared.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.