Resolve in the preseason meant there wasn’t a need for Hawaii to draw up a clean slate of New Year’s resolutions.

Still, there’s always room for improvement.

"As a team we wrote all our goals the first week of practice," UH coach Gib Arnold said Wednesday after the team’s first practice of 2014. "Those goals still stand. Everybody wrote team goals and individual goals.

"But I did tell the guys to spend a little time on their own today, and just reflect on who they are, and find some weaknesses in them as a man and basketball player, and to write a contract to themselves for 2014 to make those weaknesses their strengths."

Pros have handily outweighed the cons so far for UH (10-3), which has won eight of its past nine contests heading into Friday’s final pre-conference game of the season against Nebraska-Omaha (10-4) of the Summit League. UH dispatched Norfolk State 77-66 after a slow start on Monday.

UH is 27th nationally in scoring at 82.4 points per game and boasts solid numbers in several other meaningful categories.

The ‘Bows are off to their best start under Arnold and matched the program’s finest mark through 13 games since Riley Wallace’s 2004-05 squad led by Julian Sensley, Jeff Blackett and Matt Gibson also started 10-3.

That team fizzled to a 16-13 finish (7-11 in league play), something these ‘Bows will look to avoid when they open the Big West portion of the schedule next week with four of their first five games on the road.

Arnold’s New Year’s contract edict was not just for his players.

"The coaching staff as well," he said. "We’re going to take a little time today to take a look back at who we are, look at our weaknesses and change them into strengths this year. I think as a team we’re all going to do that as well. It’ll make us better people, a better team."

The team statistical goals Arnold referred to are: shoot 75 percent on free throws; keep turnovers to 12 or fewer; hold opponents to below 40 percent field-goal shooting and below 30 percent on 3-pointers; make more free throws than opponents attempt; and be plus-five in rebounding and plus-five in steals in any given game.

UH swept those categories in its season opener vs. Tennessee State and came close to doing so again a few other times this season.

Players kicked off the year with extra shooting after Wednesday’s practice. Some shared their individual goals.

"Step up intensity in 2014 for me," said sophomore forward Isaac Fotu, who’s been hampered the past few weeks with a fractured shooting hand. "(Shoot) the ball more, because I think I’ve been a bit passive lately and also hit the boards more. I’m not hitting the boards as well as I could. But it’s pretty hard to rebound with one hand. So hopefully that will change once this heals."

"Just keep working hard," senior Christian Standhardinger said.

Said freshman guard Dyrbe Enos: "My New Year’s resolution is to become a better ballhandler. Pretty much a better point guard. … Life-wise, I just want to make the best choices I can."

Freshman guard Jack Hackman had some long-term achievements in mind.

"For me personally, just work on my ballhandling a little more and get in the weight room, get stronger, and a little quicker," he said.

Assistant coach Scott Fisher, an avid bicyclist, had a clear resolution in mind after a recent accident — a car hit his bike while turning into a driveway — left him with several stitches.

"Yeah, I’m going to start wearing my bike helmet all the time now," Fisher said with a sheepish grin.