Really.

No other Hawai'i team traveled more than this season's Rainbow Warriors, who logged more than 41,000 air miles and spent more than 50 days on the road.

The incredible journey finally came to an end Wednesday with an 88-73 loss at Michigan in the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament.

"I've never had a team I'm more proud of," said Riley Wallace, who completed his 17th season as head coach at Hawai'i. "We asked them to do more than any other team in the history of Hawai'i as far as travel this year. We asked them to do more than what a college basketball team should be capable of doing, and they still got 21 wins."

The 'Bows completed their season 21-12 — the 10th 20-win season in school history, including five under Wallace.

Along the way, the 'Bows somehow captured the imagination of basketball fans in Hawai'i. In December, barely 5,000 were showing up at the Stan Sheriff Center to watch Hawai'i home games. By Monday's second round NIT home game against Nebraska, Hawai'i had its first sellout in two years.

"It's too bad everybody took so long to fall in love with this team," Wallace said. "Because I loved them from the start and I knew this was the kind of team that would go out and spill their guts on the floor for me."

In truth, it was a roller-coaster of a season, complete with big wins and bad losses. Do you remember?:

• Michael Kuebler's 3-pointer just before the buzzer in a 70-67 overtime victory over Oregon State.

• Former Kalaheo High standout Julian Sensley playing the role of hometown hero with a 3-pointer to beat Fairfield, 50-49, in the championship game of the Rainbow Classic.

• Kuebler out-shooting Nevada's Kirk Snyder in a 60-53 home victory over the Wolf Pack, which eventually went on to win the Western Athletic Conference and is playing today in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

• The 'Bows winning three games on one road trip — the first time any Hawai'i team was able to do that.

• Louisiana Tech stunning Hawai'i, 62-61, in the Stan Sheriff Center, virtually taking the 'Bows out of contention for the WAC title.

• The five seniors — Kuebler, Jason Carter, Haim Shimonovich, Phil Martin and Paul Jesinskis — receiving a rousing ovation after a resounding 91-77 victory over Rice on Senior Night.

• That same Rice team sprinting off the court after Martin's putback attempt danced off the rim, allowing the Owls to fly off with a 70-68 victory in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament at Fresno Calif.

It was at that point of the season, only two weeks ago, when hope was all but lost. As Martin put it: "After we lost in the WAC (Tournament), we figured our season was over. We weren't sure ourselves if we deserved to play any more."

But the NIT believed, and slowly but surely, the rest of Hawai'i jumped on the bandwagon of the re-energized Hawai'i team.

"Resilient," is how Wallace described this year's 'Bows. "Every time somebody counted them out after they lost a game or two, they came back with a big win."

None was bigger than the 85-74 upset of No. 25 Utah State at Logan, Utah, in the first round of the NIT.

It earned the 'Bows a surprise return trip home for the Nebraska game. And who knows, if Michigan had less than 48 hours to fly to Honolulu instead of the other way around, perhaps the 'Bows would be in New York today preparing for the NIT final four instead of the Wolverines.

"We haven't used (the travel) as an excuse all year, so we can't now," Kuebler said. "For as much as we traveled, I think we played as well as any team could under those circumstances."

Kuebler, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard, undoubtedly had something to do with the 'Bows' success. He led the team with 18.1 points per game, and set a school record with 97 3-pointers.

"If Carl English is here, we're playing in the (NCAA) Tournament," Wallace said, referring to last season's star player who left after his junior year to play professional basketball. "He left and everybody counted us out. But Kuebler is the guy who stepped up the most to keep this thing going."

The other seniors chipped in, too. Martin and Shimonovich were four-year starters, and played into the postseason all four years.

"That's never been done by any other player in the history of Hawai'i, and not many kids around the country can say they've been to the postseason four straight years," Wallace said.

Martin added: "I'm happy; I'm content. Two NCAA's, two NIT's in my four years. That's something I'm never going to forget."

Martin will also have a place in the Hawai'i record book. He appeared in 127 games, more than any other player in UH history, and ended his career by starting in 103 consecutive games.

Carter honed his boundless energy at the end of the season and became arguably the most exciting player to wear a Hawai'i uniform since another Carter — Anthony, UH's star from 1996-98.

Jesinskis was the definition of a Rainbow Warrior, doing everything the coaches asked of him, even if it meant taking a spot on the bench for most games.

"One of the best groups (of seniors) we've ever had," Wallace said. "It'll be tough to replace them, no question."

But there is a good nucleus returning.

Led by Sensley, a superstar in the making, seven scholarship players are eligible to return. The others are guards Jake Sottos, Logan Lee and Bobby Nash, forwards Vaidotas Peciukas and Jeff Blackett, and center Milos Zivanovic.

Matt Gipson, a 6-9 forward at North Idaho, has already signed a letter of intent to join the 'Bows next season. Matt Gibson, a high-scoring guard at Three Rivers Community College (Mo.), has made a commitment to join the team as well.

"If everything pans out, we should be a good team again," Wallace said.

Martin added: "The guys coming back, and the new guys, they need to carry on this winning tradition. I think everybody has come to expect the University of Hawai'i to be playing in the postseason every year now."

But this year's 'Bows raised expectations in other areas, too.

"I didn't have any problems with this team," Wallace said. "They went to class, got their school work done, then showed up for practice every day and worked hard. They were unbelievable student-athletes and that's why I say they were such a great group."