Riley Wallace doesn't want a sendoff into the sunset this week.

Instead, he'd like the fans to help send him and the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team off to the Western Athletic Conference Tournament with some much-needed momentum.

The Rainbow Warriors will play their final two home games of the regular-season this week. They will host Idaho Thursday, and then Boise State Saturday.

It will be the final home games for seniors Matt Lojeski and Ahmet Gueye, as well as for Wallace, whose resignation will go into effect at the end of this season.

"If you want to come out for the seniors, or if you want to come out for me, or if you want to come out for anybody else on the team, now is the time to do it," Wallace said. "I don't want any distractions. I just want to win these two games, and I want the fans to help us win them."

The 'Bows are 16-12 overall and 6-8 in the WAC after a 67-55 road victory at San Jose State Saturday. It was Hawai'i's second consecutive road victory.

"We should have been doing this earlier in the year," Lojeski said. "I think it was just a matter of gaining confidence and knowing we could pull out games on the road. At least it helps us now. We feel like we can go anywhere and win a game."

The problem is, Hawai'i has not been able to move up in the conference standings in recent weeks.

The 'Bows enter this week in seventh place. However, two victories could move them up as high as fourth, depending on how the other teams fare.

"We can't pay too much attention to the other teams," Lojeski said. "We just have to win our games and then see what happens after that. I think if we win these two, we should be OK."

Nevada has already clinched the No. 1 seed for the tournament, but the other eight seeds will be determined this week. New Mexico State, which will host the tournament at Las Cruces, N.M., is likely to be the No. 2 seed.

"You obviously don't want Nevada in the first round, and you probably don't want New Mexico State at their place," Wallace said. "But we're OK playing anybody, so we just have to win these two games here and get up as high (in the standings) as we can."

In any case, winning two games this week may not be that easy for the 'Bows.

Idaho is in last place in the WAC at 3-24 overall and 1-13 in conference. However, the Vandals' lone WAC win this season came against Hawai'i last month in Moscow, Idaho.

"We owe them one," Wallace said. "You look at how things have turned out since then, and that's the one game that really hurt us."

If the 'Bows get past Idaho Thursday, then Saturday's game with Boise State could turn into a battle for fourth place. The Broncos are 8-6 in the WAC, and their final two games are on the road at Fresno State and Hawai'i.

Lojeski, Gueye and Wallace will be honored after the Boise State game.

"Senior night doesn't happen until after the game, so it won't be a distraction," Wallace said. "We won't do anything ahead of time, either. We need to stay focused."

Wallace already expressed his concerns to the team prior to Saturday's game.

"Coach was very strict with us in San Jose, more than normal," Lojeski said. "He told us how important the game was if we wanted to make a run at the end of the year."

In addition to positioning for the WAC Tournament, the 'Bows are trying to keep alive any chance of a bid to the NIT. Wallace said he thinks the 'Bows need to get "at least" 19 wins to have a shot at the NIT.

'BOWS CONTINUE GETTING DEFENSIVE

The key to Hawai'i's late-season surge has been its defense.

Over their last nine games, the 'Bows are allowing an average of 59.6 points per game. Hawai'i's record during that stretch is 6-3, with the three losses by an average of 4 points per game.

For the season, opponents are shooting 39.3 percent from the field against Hawai'i. This season's 'Bows are seeking to become the first team in school history to hold their opponents below 40 percent for the entire season.

Senior center Ahmet Gueye has been a key to the defensive effort, with 27 blocked shots in his last nine games, including a career-high seven against San Jose State Saturday.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.