The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team has endured a rough season, and it would have been easy to call it quits last night after a dismal first half against Boise State.

But the Rainbow Wahine — on Senior Night no less — showed heart and grit to pull out a victory that will no doubt have a special place in the players' and coaches' memory banks.

Keisha Kanekoa hit a go-ahead bank shot in the lane with 9 seconds remaining after losing the ball off the dribble and Hawai'i rallied from a 20-point deficit to beat Boise State, 68-67, before a boisterous crowd of 360 at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Kanekoa, who helped Hawai'i score the first 16 points of the second half, took an inbounds pass, lost control of the ball near the free-throw line, won a scramble for it and hit a short banker.

"I lost it. It's part of the play," said Kanekoa, who made the shot next to fallen Broncos defenders. "Like in football and the fumble-rooskie."

Following Kanekoa's basket, Boise State pushed the ball upcourt but a pass was deflected out of bounds, giving the Broncos possession with 4.2 seconds left under their basket. After consecutive timeouts, Janie Bos got the inbounds pass, but her turn-around from the right side missed as time expired.

Hawai'i, with Pat Charity serving as acting head coach, improved to 7-21 overall and 4-11 in the Western Athletic Conference. Boise State fell to 16-13 and 9-6.

"She showed us that even though we're going through a lot, let's play, let's be aggressive," senior Ebony Jones said of Charity. "Let's not care about what's going on."

It was the final home game for Jones and fellow seniors Catherine Cho and Tara Hittle, who left in style after a disastrous first half.

Boise State led 39-19 late in the first half and 39-22 at the half.

The Rainbow Wahine came out of the locker room fired up. Their 16-point burst covered 3:37 and cut the Broncos' lead to 39-38.

"I was shocked when we scored the first 16 points. We just jumped on them," said Charity, now 2-4 as head coach.

Kanekoa scored six consecutive points and had a couple of steals during the surge, and Cho hit two 3-pointers.

"We went into the locker room and just stayed positive and said, 'Hey, it's a whole 'nother half,' " Cho said. "Every single person on the team went out and played their hearts out. I'll always be thankful for that."

The run included Kanekoa throwing an inbounds pass off an unsuspecting Boise State player, catching it on a hop and laying it in. The heads-up play cut UH's deficit to 39-33 with 17:10 left.

Kanekoa and Dita Liepkalne each finished with 15 points to lead Hawai'i. Kanekoa also had 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

"She stepped up her game to a whole 'nother level," Charity said.

Megan Tinnin's layup off an assist from Kanekoa and Cho's 3-pointer from the left wing completed the surge with 16:23 left.

The Broncos restored order by switching to a 2-3 zone.

Heather Pilcher scored six points as Boise State went on a 15-6 run to take a 54-44 lead with 12:35 remaining.

Hawai'i answered with Liepkalne hitting a short jumper to tie it at 56 with 5:01 left, and Tinnin nailing a 3-pointer from the right wing to give UH its first lead at 59-58 with 4:31 left.

Tinnin had missed her first seven 3-point attempts.

Boise State appeared to be in good shape after Bos hit two free throws to make it 67-63 with 1:02 left, but Tinnin hit another 3-pointer six seconds later to get Hawai'i within one.

"You can hit it when it's time to hit it," Tinnin said. "That's why you're called a shooter, right?"

The Broncos were called for a charge with 32 seconds remaining, setting up Kanekoa's game-winner.

Hawai'i was 19 of 36 from the field in the second half, while Boise State was 7 of 28 and committed 13 turnovers.

Cho had 12 points and five rebounds, and Tinnin added 12 points and eight boards for Hawai'i.

Cho also gave a great performance before the game, flawlessly singing the national anthem and Hawai'i Pono'i.

"I actually did that my senior year in high school as well," she said. "I guess I wanted to add a little more bang to the whole night."

Cho, who also plays the violin, said she was "hesitant" to do Hawai'i Pono'i.

Cho (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) and Jones (Montgomery, Ala.) started for Hawai'i; Hittle (Colorado Springs, Colo.) sat out her third consecutive game with a left knee injury.

Hittle, who played four seasons with the Rainbow Wahine volleyball team, spent the past two years with the basketball team.

"It would've been fun to play two more years (of basketball)," said Hittle, who was injured Feb. 20 against New Mexico State.

Hawai'i will end its regular season at Nevada on Saturday and stay in Reno for the WAC tournament, March 10 to 14.