The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team now can play out of the play-in game.

Thanks to Idaho's 66-58 victory over Louisiana Tech yesterday, the Rainbow Warriors can move up to seventh place in the final Western Athletic Conference standings with a victory over New Mexico State tomorrow.

"It's set up for us," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "But we still have to go out and do our part."

The 'Bows will host New Mexico State in the WAC finale tomorrow at the Stan Sheriff Center at 7:05 p.m.

Hawai'i is 13-15 overall and currently in eighth in the WAC at 5-10. New Mexico State is 15-14 and tied for fourth at 8-7.

A Hawai'i win would push LaTech down to eighth. The eighth- and ninth-place teams have to meet in the play-in game for the WAC Tournament. The seventh-place team goes directly to the quarterfinals (to meet the No. 2 seed).

"The guys know what's at stake, because everybody's been talking about it the last couple weeks," Nash said.

FLEMINGS LOOKING TO IMPROVE NEXT SEASON

Roderick Flemings is committed to a senior season with the 'Bows.

"I'm coming back," he said. "I look at this as a building year. I wasn't 100 percent all year, so hopefully when I'm 100 percent next year, I can help this team even more."

Flemings, a 6-foot-7 wing, is averaging 16.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, and leads the team with 32 steals.

"When you consider all the things we asked him to do, I think he's lived up to his billing," Nash said. "What impresses me the most is what a great person he is. He's loved by his teammates, he gets along with everybody. He's not a prima donna."

Flemings has played with a sprained right ankle the entire season. Every time it was on the verge of healing, he'd tweak it again.

"I've never had to deal with anything like this in my life," he said. "But it was good in a way. I learned a lot of things about my game — had to adjust a lot of things."

But even with an injured ankle, Flemings showed glimpses of the talent that made him one of the top recruits in the nation both out of high school and junior college.

He scored 37 against Eastern Washington in December. He also leads the team with 21 dunks, including several highlight-reel slams.

He was named to the NABC All-District 6 second team yesterday. The All-WAC teams will be announced Sunday.

"I think he's done enough to be on there," Nash said. "If not first team, definitely second."