The Rainbow Warriors didn't necessarily lose any dollars, but they may have lost something more hurtful — a chance to win the regular-season championship of the Western Athletic Conference.

A raucous crowd of 10,153 watched what was basically a hit-or-bust game — the winner would remain in championship contention, the loser would not.

"We were ready to compete; we just don't have that same energy we do on the road as we do at home," Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said. "It's like we can compete in spurts, but not for a whole game."

The 'Bows have been especially dismal in Reno, where they are now 0-7.

The Wolf Pack improved to 19-8 overall and moved into sole possession of second place in the conference at 12-5. Hawai'i dropped to 19-9 overall and into a three-way tie for third place with Rice and Boise State at 11-6.

"Our mindset coming into this road trip was to win 20 games (for the season) and win the WAC Tournament," UH point guard Logan Lee said. "We can still do both those things. We're not giving up."

If anything, the 'Bows did not give up last night, either.

Despite a poor shooting first half, Hawai'i cut a 17-point deficit down to seven in the second half before the Wolf Pack sealed it at the end.

Kirk Snyder proved his worth as the leading candidate for WAC Player of the Year with 23 points to lead Nevada. Point guard Todd Okeson, who struggled in a 60-53 Nevada loss to Hawai'i in Honolulu last month, added 18 points.

Michael Kuebler led the 'Bows with 17 points, including 14 during the second-half comeback attempt. Haim Shimonovich added 11 points and seven rebounds, Phil Martin had all 10 of his points in the second half, and Jeff Blackett contributed 10 points off the bench for Hawai'i.

"We just needed to keep our focus," Kuebler said. "We had too many lapses in that first half. If we don't put ourselves in that hole, maybe we win the game."

Wallace had prepared a slow-down strategy for last night's game, but the 'Bows failed to perform the most important task of the plan — putting the ball in the hoop.

Hawai'i made just 6 of 27 field goals in the first half for a .222 percentage. The 'Bows actually led early, 10-7, before the shooting slump kicked in.

"We had it where we wanted it," Wallace said. "We were going to try and get a lead, slow the game down, then work for a good shot on every possession. We got good shots; we just didn't make 'em."

Martin added: "It was us. We were getting open, but our accuracy just wasn't there in that first half."

An 11-2 run put Nevada up for good at 18-12. The Wolf Pack then closed the half with a 13-2 run to take a 31-16 lead at intermission. Hawai'i went scoreless over the final 4:33 of the half.

Wallace said he did not change offenses in the second half, although the slow-down strategy had to be scrapped.

With Kuebler and Martin providing most of the offense, the 'Bows made 20 of 33 shots in the second half for a .606 percentage. Hawai'i out-scored the Wolf Pack, 48-46, after halftime.

"We fought back," Lee said. "We had them on their heels. But if you look back now, that first half killed us."

Kuebler shot 5 of 8 from the field in the second half, including 4 of 4 from 3-point range; Martin shot 5 of 7 from the field in the second half.

"We wanted to make a run at them," Kuebler said. "We knew that performance we put up in the first half wasn't really us."

The 'Bows got as close as seven several times in the second half, the last time at 65-58 with 4:49 remaining.

Snyder and Okeson combined to score 31 of Nevada's 46 points in the second half.

"They took over and refused to let them lose," Wallace said.

Hawai'i wound up shooting 43.3 percent from the field (26 of 60), while Nevada shot 48.1 percent (26 of 54). The Wolf Pack also converted 22 of 29 free throws to Hawai'i's 5 of 8.

Perhaps most telling, Nevada out-rebounded the 'Bows, 38-31. In the victory over the Wolf Pack at home last month, Hawai'i won the battle of the boards, 40-31.

"I would say that was the biggest difference," Martin said. "We didn't have that same intensity on defense and we got beat on the boards all night."