For the University of Hawaii, Week Zero usually refers to the Rainbow Warriors football team starting its season before most of the rest of the nation. For the Rainbow Warriors men’s basketball team this season it was the opposite — zero games while everyone else got underway.

“It sucks watching everyone else play for another week,” forward Justin McKoy said.

The 6-foot-8 transfer forward from North Carolina made up for lost time Tuesday, leading the Rainbow Warriors with 15 points in an 82-66 victory over their brothers from Division II UH Hilo as a gathering of 1,796 watched at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center. He also had six rebounds, two assists and no turnovers.

“I’ve been waiting for more than a week,” said guard Juan Munoz, who played his first game in two years because of injury. “It adds hunger, everyone’s ready for a game. It was fun for sure.”

Munoz scored nine points with three assists and three rebounds in 13 minutes and 48 seconds of court time.

“It was a tough loss, we lost a team and couldn’t fill the Rainbow (Classic),” coach Eran Ganot said. “But we did have some guys banged up, so there’s a silver lining.”

Another would be that the ’Bows are undefeated at 1-0. Hilo was 3-2 coming in after two straight losses, but counted this game as an exhibition.

The Rainbows took control early, with 10-0 and 16-3 runs in the first half after Hilo took a short-lived 4-2 lead.

Noel Coleman led the first spree with all five of his first-half points. He finished with 10.

The ’Bows hit four bombs in the second barrage, including two from Harry Rouhliadeff, and UHM expanded its lead to 33-15 late in the first half.

The Rainbows scoring was balanced in the first half, with Bernardo da Silva attacking the low post for seven of his nine points for the game, and JoVon McClanahan hitting for five of his eight.

“I think there’s potential for this team to be balanced,” Ganot said, also noting that guard Tom Beattie scored nine of his 12 in the second half.

Hilo’s Charles Elzie III led everyone with 23 points and Kalique Mitchell added 15.

The Rainbows held former teammate Zoar Nedd to three points, seven below his average in the early going of this season.

Manoa led 35-23 at intermission after the Vulcans went 0-for-9 from 3-point land in the first 20 minutes. But Hilo came out of the break inspired, and closed the gap to 37-29 on a bucket by Carlos Ramsey Jr.

But while the Vulcans made some mini runs to game’s end, they never seriously threatened to get their first win in 14 tries against the ’Bows.

“I understand that tonight is not how (we) wanted things to go tonight,” Hilo coach Kaniela Aiona said. “The main thing is the guys competed and left it all on the court. … It’s a good early-season test for us, a chance for us to get better … as a team. A lot of guys competed and battled for 40 minutes.”

The Vulcans play at Chaminade on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the ’Bows face Niagara that night.

“They’re a good team,” Munoz said. “Our point of emphasis will be defense.”

Ganot cited the quick turnaround, but everyone associated with the program agrees it’s better than another week off.

“Tonight felt like a first game,” he said. “Collectively, individually there were some bright spots and then some things to improve. There are a lot of things to build off. … We played inside out and made them pay for that. … But give (Hilo) credit for competing for 40 minutes.”