Repeat after me: It is only an exhibition game ... it is only an exhibition game ... it is only ...

Yes, when the University of Hawai'i and Brigham Young University-Hawai'i men's basketball teams meet tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center it will be just an exhibition game.

Officially, it will not count for — or against — either team's record or be used to help calculate the almighty Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) for postseason purposes. It isn't being shown on TV.

Perception-wise, however, it could be another matter.

If the Rainbow Warriors were to somehow lose the game, well, then the impact would hardly be negligible in the court of pubic opinion.

Especially on the heels of the 'Bows being picked to finish dead last in the nine-team Western Athletic Conference. Since then, everybody around UH has been playing down the dis and discounting its credibility.

After all, this is supposed to be a season of Rainbow revival built around four returning starters and some key recruits and the expectation is the 'Bows will be much more competitive than tail-ender status. Head coach Bob Nash has promised as much, vowing to win the 18 games necessary for a contract extension .

Which is why the 'Bows, who are also a NCAA Division I team on their home floor with a larger budget, should beat the Seasiders, a Division II member. Albeit the preseason No. 1-ranked D-II team in the country.

UH figures to be without some ailing players tonight and BYUH will be minus its player-of-the-year candidate, Lucas Alves, who is recovering from surgery.

Actually the fact that Nash and the 'Bows took the game, is noteworthy and commendable. It is an opportunity we won't see in the regular season and compare what should be the state's top two teams.

But for the 'Bows there is very little to gain tonight other than a good tuneup for next week's regular season opener, which is why it is the type of a matchup seldom seen in hoops or other sports here. Especially when there is the potential for an upset.

And for good reason. In 1992, when Rainbow Wahine volleyball team was ready to celebrate Dave Shoji's 500th victory, the Seasiders pulled off a stunning four-game victory. When Shoji agreed to play them six years later, you should have heard the howls around UH.

In 1982, the basketball 'Bows lost to Chaminade, 56-47, a game that would haunt Larry Little for years.

But those were regular season games and it is not like BYUH would be after bragging rights or anything tonight.

After all, it is only an exhibition game.