New Year's resolutions aren't always about losing weight or saving money.

For the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team, it's about other things, like cutting turnovers and maintaining rebounds.

The Rainbow Warriors are 8-4, with the start of the Western Athletic Conference season set for Saturday. The 'Bows will host defending WAC champion Boise State at 7:05 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.

"I'd like to have a few more wins, but it still feels good to have a winning record," junior forward Bill Amis said.

If the Rainbow Warriors want to be prosperous in the WAC for 2009, they need to stick to some resolutions:

KEEP SHOOTING FREE THROWS

Hawai'i is currently ranked second among all NCAA Division I teams with 267 points on free throws this season (Wyoming is first with 304).

Aggressive players such as Roderick Flemings, Petras Balocka, Amis and Kareem Nitoto have been getting fouled often, and the 'Bows are averaging 30 free-throw attempts per game. By comparison, last season's Hawai'i team averaged 19.8 free-throw attempts per game.

"We have some physical guys who like contact," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "We're getting a lot of 'and-1s' by getting the ball inside and attacking the rim."

Flemings, who leads the 'Bows in scoring with 17.9 points per game, has already attempted 98 free throws in 12 games this season. He is on pace to break the UH record of 224 attempts in a season, set by John Penebacker in the 1969-70 season.

KEEP OUT-REBOUNDING OPPONENTS

Hawai'i is averaging 37.7 rebounds per game while allowing 29.6. The 'Bows have out-rebounded their opponents in 11 consecutive games.

"That's something we work on religiously, and it's starting to pay dividends," Nash said.

Flemings and Amis are each averaging 6.8 rebounds per game, and Balocka is contributing 6.2 per game.

REDUCE TURNOVERS

The 'Bows are averaging 17.6 turnovers per game — most among the nine WAC teams. And it's not limited to the Hawai'i guards — six different 'Bows are averaging more than two turnovers per game.

"The source of our problems has been the turnovers," Nash said. "That's the major thing we need to work on heading into WAC."

The recent return of sophomore point guard Hiram Thompson should help. He and Nitoto are now splitting time as directors of the Hawai'i offense.

IMPROVE FROM 3-POINT RANGE

Before the season started, Nash said the 'Bows would not be a long-range shooting team.

Still, there is much room for improvement.

Hawai'i's 39 3-pointers rank 339th out of 343 NCAA-I teams. What's more, the 'Bows have a .269 percentage from long range.

"We have guys who can shoot the 3, we just need a better understanding of when to shoot it," Nash said. "But it's not going to be a point of emphasis for us as much as getting the ball close to the basket. We understand what type of team we are, so we're trying to get the ball inside, get fouled, and get three points the old-fashioned way."

TRAVEL WELL

The 'Bows will make six road trips in a span of nine weeks during the WAC season.

"It's real hard traveling when you're from Hawai'i, with the time difference," junior forward Adhar Mayen said. "Everything is different — sleeping, eating, the weather — you just have to try to get used to it."

Hawai'i has played just one road game so far this season, a 68-58 loss at Illinois.