The stakes aren’t high, but the excitement sure is.

Gib Arnold’s new-look Hawaii basketball team takes to the hardwood for its much-anticipated exhibition debut against Chaminade tomorrow night. Tip-off is at 7 p.m at the Stan Sheriff Center.

A win or a loss against the Division II Silverswords of the Pacific West Conference won’t officially count. But even exhibitions generate significant interest when a program undergoes a major makeover as the Rainbow Warriors have this season.

The team’s passion is palpable. Arnold closed practices this week to the public and media, but all one needs to do is hang around the periphery of the Stan Sheriff Center during the Rainbows’ sessions to hear the fervent action going on within.

"This time of the year, guys are ready to play against somebody else," Arnold said. "Tempers are always a little bit high. Tired of banging on each other. And they’re getting excited for the game Saturday night."

UH went 10-20 overall and 3-13 (last place) in the WAC last year under Bob Nash, but has a new coach, new style and eight newcomers eligible to play this season, nine if you include junior shooting guard Zane Johnson, who sat out last year as an Arizona transfer. He still has his team’s last-place prediction in the Western Athletic Conference preseason polls on his mind.

"It’ll be good to get out there and compete against someone other than us, in front of actual fans and show everyone what we can do this year," Johnson said. "What we’ve worked on that we’re not going to be at the bottom of the WAC this year. We’re going to be able to compete."

Both teams won’t be at their best, as they’ve taken injury hits in the preseason, particularly the Silverswords. CU (10-15 last year, 7-9 PacWest) has four projected starters battling ailments.

UH will be without junior point guard Anthony Salter (heel tear) and sophomore forward Dominick Brumfield (fractured kneecap), dropping the Rainbows’ active player count to 10.

A possible UH starting lineup is Hiram Thompson at point guard, Johnson at shooting guard, Joston Thomas at small forward, Bill Amis at power forward and either Douglas Kurtz or Vander Joaquim at center.

Chaminade’s situation is more iffy. PacWest preseason first-team selection Steven Bennett is nursing a rolled ankle, but coach Matt Mahar said the 5-foot-6 guard should play. ‘Swords center Mamadou Diarra, a player Arnold recruited and coached at USC, is questionable with a head injury. Two more starting guards, Chandler Pearson (hand) and DeAndre Haskins (foot), are out with injuries.

"We’re in rough shape right now," Mahar said. "We’re just hoping to get healthy enough to get out there and see how it goes. … It’s been difficult, but we’re working with it. … We’re looking at this game as an exhibition. It’s gonna be fun, we’re really grateful for the opportunity. Hopefully some guys we didn’t know we’d need this early will step up."

The Silverswords nearly defeated UH in a regular-season game at the Sheriff last year, only to fall short in the closing minutes in a 70-61 loss. For the season, 40.3 percent of the ‘Swords’ shots were 3-point attempts.

"I like their team. I watched their game against us last year, and was real impressed," Arnold said. "I think Bennett’s a heck of a point guard. I love those 5-6 guys. He’s an outstanding player. And the (Shane) Hanson kid can really shoot it."

Chaminade was picked to finish third in the PacWest behind Brigham Young-Hawaii and Grand Canyon.

UH sophomore guard Pi’i Minns, a transfer from Chaminade, must sit out this season per NCAA rules. But he’s still anxious to see this contest play out from the bench.

"A lot of the guys on the (CU) team, I’m really close with them, so it should be fun to see," Minns said. "All the hard work we put in, hopefully it all pays off in this first game."