We’re getting down to what you might call "money time" in the University of Hawaii men’s basketball season.

Not just for the Rainbow Warriors, but also for their coach, Gib Arnold.

While the ‘Bows chase a regular-season championship in their inaugural Big West Conference campaign and a place in the postseason, their coach is also closing in on triggering an automatic extension of his contract.

The deal, fairly unique among contracts for UH coaches past and present, has five provisions by which Arnold can pick up a year’s extension of his $344,000-a-year-deal. Four of them are still achievable as the ‘Bows hit the stretch run on the 2012-13 campaign.

With tonight’s game against Pacific in Stockton, Calif., UH (15-10, 9-5 in conference) has five regular-season games remaining, plus the Big West tournament. That’s opportunity enough to ensure that Arnold does not enter 2013-14 — the last under his current contract — a lame duck.

Under terms of the 2011 contract, obtained through the state’s open records law, Arnold "will be entitled to an automatic one-year extension" should one of the following benchmarks be reached:

"A. Participate in NCAA Tournament or NIT Tournament or…"

"B. Win 18 or 19 games (including conference tournament and postseason games) and attain an end of season Sagarin strength of schedule ranking of 185 or better, or…"

"C. Win at least 20 games (including conference tournament and postseason games) without regard to end of season Sagarin strength of schedule ranking, or…"

"D. Finish first or second in regular season conference play, or…"

"E. Participate in conference tournament championship game and attain an overall regular season winning record, including conference tournament games."

Arnold originally signed a three-year "major terms" sheet when he took the UH job in 2010. But after a 19-13 finish his first year and some bungling by Bachman Hall of the execution of an employment agreement, it would be 18 months until he and the school entered into a completed 18-page contract.

One of the hang-ups was that Arnold wanted a five-year deal. One group of UH regents reportedly agreed, but by the time the contract was worked out the regents leadership had changed and it held firm on a three-year deal. So extension clauses that could add one year each after the 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons were inserted to bridge the difference.

Last year Arnold didn’t hit any of the targets with a 16-16 overall record, 6-8 finish in the Western Athletic Conference and early tournament exit.

But entering the final month of the current regular season, all but perhaps "B" are within reach. While the "18 or 19" wins provision is attainable, the 185 strength of schedule in the Sagarin index is a long shot considering UH’s current Sagarin figure is 254 (among 347 teams).

If you are Arnold and the ‘Bows, this is about playing for the present and the future.

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