Sottos, who is Hawai'i's starting shooting guard, finished with seven points, five rebounds and five assists. Rivera, UTEP's All-WAC point guard, had 19 points, five rebounds, five assists and was primarily responsible for harassing Sottos into 2-of-7 shooting.

"They were right there whenever I caught the ball," Sottos said. "Fili, he knows every move that I have and he played great defense tonight and I couldn't get things rolling on the offensive side."

Rivera said it was one of his priorities to contain Sottos. In two previous games against UTEP this season, Sottos had 35 points on 13-of-17 shooting, including 8 of 12 from 3-point range.

"The last time I guarded him in Hawai'i, I say he killed me," Rivera said. "He gave me 15 (points). This game, I was ready for him."

Sottos and Rivera were the starting guards on the Southeastern Community College (Iowa) team that won the junior college national championship in 2003.

They exchanged a hug just before tip-off yesterday, and Sottos said: "He just said have a good one and I said have a good one, too."

Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said Rivera's familiarity with Sottos helped UTEP's cause.

"He knows Jake's value is that jump shot and they didn't give him that shot tonight," Wallace said. "They crowded him pretty good."

Meanwhile, the 'Bows had no answer for Rivera.

"There's not anybody going to stop him," Wallace said. "You may make him work for what he wants, but you're not going to stop him. He's on a mission right now. Everybody would love to have a point guard like that."

NOTES

Yesterday's loss became the final game for Hawai'i seniors Jeff Blackett, Vaidotas Peciukas and Jake Sottos. Sottos had seven points, and Blackett and Peciukas added six each.

The 'Bows are scheduled to return to Honolulu today at 2:07 p.m. on Aloha flight 277.

The postseason banquet for the team is scheduled for April 14 at the Hawai'i Prince Hotel. Tickets are $40 per person. For information, call 956-6501 on weekdays during normal business hours.