The Hawaii opponent triple-double reunion tour rolls on.

Montana guard Kareem Jamar went for 21 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists the last time he and the Rainbow Warriors crossed paths, two seasons ago in Missoula, Mont.

UH will try to dole out some deferred payback in a return game at the Stan Sheriff Center tonight following the Rainbow Wahine basketball game against Colorado State, which tips off at 5 p.m.

The 6-foot-5 Jamar, now a senior and reigning Big Sky Conference Most Valuable Player, is still a triple-double waiting to happen. He leads the Grizzlies in almost every meaningful category — scoring (20.5), rebounding (6.5), assists (6.3), minutes (37.5) and more.

"Outstanding player. One of the best players we’ll play all year, hands down," UH coach Gib Arnold said. "One of the best players in the country, I think. He’s a great player. Definitely have our hands full. I think it’ll be tough to contain him, ’cause I think he’s that good."

He helped Montana rout UH 94-79 late in the 2011-12 season, a decision that bled into blowout defeats at New Mexico State (115-73) and Louisiana Tech (84-67) in what Arnold calls "the toughest road trip we’ve ever had."

New Mexico State guard Daniel Mullings also went for a triple-double in that brutal stretch, which saw UH drop five straight and stumble to a 16-16 finish. Incidentally, Mullings, too, came to the Sheriff Center this season and contributed to a 95-88 follow-up defeat of the ‘Bows on Nov. 12.

The mishap in Missoula came after a lopsided UH defeat of New Orleans. Coincidentally, UH just sank the Privateers again, 91-58 on Wednesday. But these ‘Bows are radically different from two years ago in pace, style and personnel; only center Davis Rozitis remains among active players and UH is now 17th nationally in scoring at 89.3 points per game. Senior forward Christian Standhardinger leads five ‘Bows averaging double-figure scoring at 17.2 ppg.

"Hawaii is also very athletic," Montana coach Wayne Tinkle said. "They play a very up-tempo style and really get in your face on defense. We are really going to have to be strong with the ball there, and be disciplined offensively, and defend them in the transition game as well. … We’re struggling right now defensively and have got to find a way."

Montana, the Big Sky’s representative to the NCAA Tournament three of the past four years, was picked to finish runner-up to Weber State in the 2013-14 preseason poll coming off a 25-7 season.

The Grizzlies have suffered some close defeats, including 83-79 at Washington on Tuesday, in which they led by six at the half. Grizz guard Jordan Gregory is coming off a career-best 27 points in that one.

Rebounding would seem to be a weakness for the Grizzlies as they have a margin of minus-12.2 per game. Meanwhile, UH has won that battle plus-10.6 so far. However, the Grizzlies are a superb halfcourt execution team and are shooting 52.5 percent from the field, including 41.7 percent on 3-pointers.

UH went through a film session and light walkthrough on Thanksgiving Day to prepare.

"They’re probably one of the best (in the West) as far as 3s and shooting percentage," Rozitis said. "We have to watch out for that, for their guard play. So I think we’re preparing pretty good, because we’ve held teams defensively on 3-point percentage pretty low (.269).

"I think this is going to be a test for them and for us, how we match up. It’s going to be a good game."

Guard Quincy Smith (back tightness) and forward Isaac Fotu (jammed finger) stayed out of the walkthrough. Fotu was to get an X-ray on the finger Thursday but Arnold said the result hadn’t come in yet.

"We’re banged up a little bit but as of now everybody’s a go," he said.

Arnold hosted the team at his Kailua house for Thanksgiving after the walkthrough. It remains a curious holiday for the six foreign-born players on the UH roster.

"I don’t think I will ever get used to that, but I really appreciate this holiday because I see how much it means to my American teammates and coaches, and this whole state and community here," said Rozitis, of Latvia. "So I really appreciate that. I’m thankful for a day off from school and that we can prepare for tomorrow’s game."