For the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, the Hawaii basketball team’s first opponent believes in second chances.

UNLV (5-4) is a powerful board member, finishing with a rebounding advantage in every game this season. In the Runnin’ Rebels first nine games, they are averaging 15.4 offensive rebounds, parlaying that into 13.6 second-chance points per game.

“We’ve been pretty fortunate in that area,” UNLV head coach Marvin Menzies said. “Our guys take pride in that. There are several parts of the game that contribute to being there at the end of the game. That’s one of the components the guys have kind of embraced.”

Shakur Juiston, a 6-foot-7 forward, leads with 8.8 rebounds per game. Three times he has accumulated double-digit rebounds, including 19 against Valparaiso and 16 vs. Southern Utah. But in the Rebels system, every missed shot becomes a feeding frenzy. The Rebels have rebounded 47.8 percent of their 291 missed shots.

“It’s a combination of their strength and size and determination,” UH head coach Eran Ganot said. “You can tell it’s something preached in their program. And they’re relentless in (the post). I think the depth of the offensive rebounding is you get it from several positions. That combination of that makes them very potent.”

Ganot likened the Rebels to UCLA with length at every position. Cheikh Mbacke Diong is a 6-11 post averaging 6.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. Kris Clyburn is a 6-6 guard who suctioned nine rebounds against Cincinnati.

“We’ve played some big teams this year,” Ganot said. “This is right up there with UCLA in terms of one of the biggest teams in the country at every position. You’re talking 6-6 at the 2 (guard). And they’re tough.”

“We’re focusing on blocking out and boxing out the big fellas,” UH forward Jack Purchase said. “We’ve got to fly around and be in the right position. As soon as the shot goes up, you’ve got to find a body. You have to do your best because the whole game, they’re going to be coming and coming and coming. You have to be ready for the fight.”

“All five guys have to do their work early,” UH center Zimars Raimo said. “The guards will have to help (with the rebounding). … Everybody has to be aware they have to help the big guys. We have to have guards box out every single guy. That’s how we’ll grab boards.”

While the Rebels can spread their offense — they have hit at least one trey in all 1,048 games since the 3-point rule was implemented in 1986 — their preference is to storm the lane. “They certainly have shooting potential, but they have a lot of guys who can go up there and get easy baskets. They have an ability to attack in transition.”

The Rebels are averaging 14.0 fast-break points per game — an element that begins with aggressive defense and rebounding.

“They’re tough to score over,” Ganot said. “Again, that size is felt on both ends.”

For both teams, the goal is a 4 p.m. tip-off on Christmas Day. That’s the scheduled time for the ESPN2-televised championship game.

“These games, you don’t know the times you’re going to play (in the second and third rounds),” Ganot said. “It depends how (the opening game) turns out. But we know the times we want to play because those are the times, if you’re successful, you’ll be playing.”

There are non-traditional starting times in tournaments, such as the UH-UNLV game set to start at noon, as well as in postseason play. UH is playing in the opening-day morning session for the first time in the Diamond Head Classic’s 10 years so as not to conflict with the SoFi Hawaii Bowl tonight.

“You have to be ready to go,” Ganot said.

2019 Diamond Head field announced

The eight-team field for the 2019 Diamond Head Classic was announced Friday.

Host Hawaii will be joined by Ball State, Boise State, Georgia Tech, Houston, Portland, UTEP and Washington. UTEP (2011) and Boise State (2013) are past participants.

The tournament dates will be announced at a later time.

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DIAMOND HEAD CAPSULES

GAME 1 — 10 A.M.

INDIANA STATE SYCAMORES

>> Record: 6-3

>> Head coach: Greg Lansing

>> Conference: Missouri Valley

>> Story: This is the 40th anniversary of the Larry Bird-led Sycamores team that reached the NCAA title game against Michigan State and Magic Johnson. Fittingly, the Sycamores are exhibiting Bird-like accuracy on deep shots. They are second nationally with 44.5-percent accuracy on 3s. Jordan Barnes is averaging nearly four 3-pointers a game.

>> Keep an eye on: Christian Williams, who redshirted last season after transferring from Iowa. Williams is averaging 11.0 rebounds.

COLORADO BUFFALOES

>> Record: 8-1

>> Head coach: Tad Boyle

>> Conference: Pac-12

>> Story: The Buffaloes enter as the tournament’s highest-scoring participant (84.3 points per game). Their average scoring margin is 14.8 points. Reversing a deep-shooting trend, 73.9 percent of the Buffaloes’ shots have been 2-point attempts. McKinley Wright IV is back after a breakout freshman season in which he led the Buffaloes in points (14.2), assists (5.5) and steals (1.0). Wright’s 175 assists broke Chauncey Billups’ school record for assists by a freshman.

>> Keep an eye on: Tyler Bey, a 6-7 forward who is averaging 15.8 points and 10.0 rebounds the past five games.

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GAME 3 — 5 P.M.

RHODE ISLAND RAMS

>> Record: 5-3

>> Head coach: David Cox

>> Conference: Atlantic 10

>> Story: The Rams graduated five seniors and lost head coach Dan Hurley (to UConn) from a team that reached the NCAA Tournament. Hurley’s replacement, David Cox, has used four true freshmen in the playing rotation. Jermaine Harris, a 6-8 newcomer, scored 11 points against West Virginia. Cyril Langevine is the only Atlantic 10 player averaging double-digit rebounds (10.6). Jeff Dowtin was second nationally in assist/turnover margin last year (189/43). He moved to the 2 earlier, but is now back at the point.

>> Keep an eye on: “Fatts” Russell, a 5-10 dynamo and spunky defender.

BUCKNELL BISON

>> Record: 4-5

>> Head coach: Nathan Davis

>> Conference: Patriot League

>> Story: After missing 12 games because of two injuries last season, Kimball Mackenzie is healthy — and leading the Bison in scoring (15.6 points). Freshman Walter Ellis is the son of former NBA forward LaPhonso Ellis, who is a TV analyst for this tournament.

>> Keep an eye on: point guard Jimmy Sotos, who has committed only one turnover in the past two games.

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GAME 4 — 7:30 P.M.

CHARLOTTE 49ERS

>> Record: 3-5

>> Head coach: Ron Sanchez

>> Conference: Conference USA

>> Story: After some consideration, guard Jon Davis opted to return to the 49ers for his senior season. This past March Davis, who did not sign with an agent, went through pre-draft workouts with the Charlotte Hornets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets. Davis entered the season with three 30-point-plus games. His fourth came against Chattanooga in the opener. Davis leads the 49ers in scoring (21.1) and assists (4.5).

>> Keep an eye on: Milos Supica, a 6-9 forward who came off the bench in five games but still leads the 49ers with 5.5 rebounds per game.

TCU HORNED FROGS

>> Record: 8-1

>> Head coach: Jamie Dixon

>> Conference: Big 12

>> Story: Former UH assistant coach Jamie Dixon is in his third season with a team that is considered to be the tournament favorite. The Horned Frogs lead the nation with 21.2 assists per game and are 13th in assist-turnover ratio at 1.59. They have assisted on 72.1 percent of their baskets. Alex Robinson is second nationally in assists (8.6 per game).

>> Keep an eye on: Jaylen Fisther has made at least four 3-pointers in each of the past five games. He has launched 82.1 percent of his shots from behind the 3-point arc.