A rivalry will be renewed after a 10-year hiatus when the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team hosts Brigham Young next season.

Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said the Rainbow Warriors and Cougars have agreed to play a home-and-home series.

Hawai'i will host BYU at the Stan Sheriff Center on Nov. 20; the 'Bows will play the return game at Provo, Utah, during the 2010-11 season.

"We have a history with them that a lot of people remember," Nash said. "I felt like it was a good time to bring that back, and (BYU) was excited about it as well. I don't know if they look at us as a rival, but I know a lot of our fans certainly still look at BYU as a rival, so it should be fun."

The 'Bows and Cougars were rivals in the Western Athletic Conference from 1980-99. It will be the first meeting between the teams since BYU moved to the Mountain West Conference in 1999.

"We beat them for the WAC championship (in 1994), and then there was the last-second shot (by Tes Whitlock in 1995) that everybody still talks about," Nash said. "Hopefully, we can have more good games against them."

Hawai'i assistant coach Eran Ganot, who is in charge of scheduling for the 'Bows, said the addition of BYU should help increase UH's strength-of-schedule rating.

The Cougars will return four starters from a team that finished 25-8 and tied for the Mountain West regular-season championship this past season. BYU has made it to the NCAA Tournament the last three seasons.

Hawai'i returns all five starters from this past season's team that finished 13-17.

"The rivalry is obviously a big factor why we wanted to play them," Ganot said. "But add to it that BYU is considered a really good program right now, and it makes for an attractive game for the fans. Plus, it's on a good date, a Friday, so we're hoping a lot of fans come out."

Even tougher should be the return game in 2010. BYU has won 61 of its last 63 games in the Marriott Center.

NOTES

New Mexico — another former WAC team now in the Mountain West — is also expected to play the 'Bows in the Sheriff Center this season.

The full eight-team field for the inaugural Diamond Head Classic has yet to be announced. Teams that have been mentioned — unofficially — as participants include USC, UNLV, Saint Mary's, Georgia and College of Charleston. Hawai'i will serve as host of the tournament, which is scheduled for Dec. 22, 23 and 25.