The Rainbow Warriors put on another scoring display in a 94-88 victory over Lamar last night in the first round of the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic.

A crowd of 5,129 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched Hawai'i improve to 6-2 with its fourth consecutive victory. In the last three of those wins, the 'Bows have scored at least 90 points. The last time a UH team scored at least 90 in three consecutive games was during the 1976-77 season.

Michael Kuebler scored 28 points to lead four UH players in double figures. Phil Martin added 15, Julian Sensley 11 and Jeff Blackett 10 for the 'Bows. Sensley also recorded his second consecutive double-double as he added 10 rebounds.

"The first half, we got kind of sucked in to playing their game — going up and down and putting up shots real quick," Kuebler said. "Second half, we were able to run our offense and we knew if we played our game we'd be able to beat them."

In a case of marathoners beating sprinters, the 'Bows started slow, then out-lasted the fast-paced Cardinals in the second half.

Hawai'i trailed by as many as 12 in the first half, then led by as many as 15 in the second.

"It showed the team's heart," UH head coach Riley Wallace said.

As a result, UH basketball fans do not have to take off of work tomorrow and Tuesday to watch the 'Bows. Hawai'i will play a semifinal game tomorrow against IUPUI at 7:35 p.m.

Had the 'Bows lost last night, they would have been banished to the afternoon consolation rounds tomorrow and Tuesday.

"Trust me, it was going through my mind when we were down 10," Wallace said.

"Not only was it 10, we were frustrated because everything they did was right and everything we did was wrong.

"But this team is not made like that. They finally responded."

Lamar raced to a 15-8 lead to start the game and stayed in front the rest of the half.

Raymond Anthony scored 15 of his 22 points in the first half on 5 of 7 shooting from 3-point range to put Lamar in control. His third 3-pointer of the game put the Cardinals ahead 32-20 with 8:14 remaining in the first half.

The Cardinals eventually took a 48-38 lead at intermission.

Martin scored four of UH's first six points of the game, but then picked up two fouls in a three-second span and sat out the final 17 minutes of the half.

"It was tough to watch," he said. "I just really wanted to be in there."

"Phil was big," Wallace said. "He turned it up a notch and he should. He's a fifth-year senior and he doesn't want to lose."

A spectacular alley-oop dunk by Teddy Davis put Lamar ahead 54-42 early in the second half. But that's when the Hawai'i comeback started.

Martin's driving layup and subsequent free throw completed a three-point play that put UH ahead at 62-61 with 10:57 remaining. It was part of a 16-0 run that turned a 61-52 deficit into a 68-61 Hawai'i lead.

Lamar never got closer than six after that.

During one stretch of the second half, the Cardinals did not make a field goal for nearly nine minutes.

"I thought they did a better job getting on the boards and we didn't get the transition plays in the second half that we got in the first half," said Lamar head coach Billy Tubbs. "I thought we shot the ball way too quick in the second half."

Lamar put up 81 shots, but made only 32 (39.5 percent). More telling, the Cardinals were 6 of 24 from 3-point range, including 1 of 10 in the second half.

In contrast, Hawai'i took only 66 shots, but made 33 (50 percent). The 'Bows were also effective from the free-throw line, making 25 of 31, including 22 of 25 in the second half.

Kuebler was only 1 of 7 from 3-point range, but he scored on a variety of driving layups and short-range shots.

"That's where he's turned his game around," Wallace said. "He's not a one-dimensional guy."

Led by Sensley and Haim Shimonovich (12 rebounds), the 'Bows out-rebounded Lamar, 48-42, including 23-16 in the second half.

Davis led Lamar (6-4) with 23 points and 12 rebounds. The Cardinals will play East Tennessee State tomorrow at 11 a.m.