By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist

You didn't really think this was going to be easy for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team, did you?

I mean, just because this is the postseason with everything riding on it, why should things suddenly change now for these Rainbow Warriors?

If anything, last night's 84-83 second-round National Invitation Tournament victory over Nebraska was their whole improbable season wrapped in a wild 40-minute nutshell. It was the collective 31 previous games in a deafening, high intensity microcosm.

"It was kinda like our whole season so far," said guard Michael Kuebler, pausing to catch his breath on his way to the airport and the flight that was to take the 'Bows to Ann Arbor, Mich., for tomorrow's quarterfinal game.

Indeed, there was a lot that should have been familiar to the Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 9,451 in the ebb and flow of the game that has put them one victory away from a 30th anniversary return to New York City for the semifinals of the NIT.

The game began promisingly enough for the 21-11 'Bows, much the way their season had, in fact. They seemed as invincible in roaring to a 49-32 halftime lead against the Cornhuskers as they had been in starting their season with the 14-3 record that had put them in first place in the Western Athletic Conference.

They made the big plays, gaining confidence as their lead grew, and their bench, ably anchored by Jason Carter and Jeff Blackett, not only picked up the slack but padded the lead.

And, then they emerged from the locker room looking tight and tentative. Suddenly, it was as if they had discovered how close they were getting to Madison Square Garden in much the same manner as they had tightened up after looking down from atop the WAC on Jan. 24.

Then, they proceeded to stumble through the early part of the second half of this game the way they went through the disappointing 5-8 finish to the regular season.

For the first 8 minutes and 7 seconds of the second half, where the Cornhuskers outscored UH, 29-11, the 'Bows looked for all the world like the team that had spent 19 hours getting here the day before, not the home team.

Then, the 'Bows, much as they had after getting bounced out of the WAC Tournament in the first round, rediscovered their touch and regained some of their composure down the stretch.

"We got back to having fun again," Kuebler said. "When we do that, we play a lot better."

And, maybe because of what they have been through, these 'Bows had enough last night to take them the next step.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.