The University of Hawai'i rallied from a 14-point deficit to score an improbable 71-66 victory over Utah State tonight.

A driving layup and subsequent free throw by Jared Dillinger with 1:03 remaining proved to be the winning play. It gave Hawai'i a 66-64 lead it would not lose the rest of the way.

A crowd of 4,849 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched the Rainbow Warriors improve to 11-12 overall and 7-4 in the Western Athletic Conference with their fifth consecutive home win. Hawai'i is in fifth place in the nine-team WAC, but just two games behind first-place Boise State.

The Aggies dropped to 18-8 and fell from first to third place in the WAC at 8-3.

Riley Luettgerodt and Matt Gibson led five Hawai'i players in double-figure points with 16 each. Dillinger added 14, and Bobby Nash and Bill Amis contributed 10 each.

The 'Bows raced to a 12-6 lead to open the game, but the Aggies rallied behind the sharpshooting of Jaycee Carroll.

He scored nine points during an 11-1 run that put Utah State ahead, 17-13, with 8:52 remaining. Carroll had 17 points — including 3-of-3 shooting from 3-point range — in the first half as Utah State took a 36-27 lead at intermission.

Hawai'i cut the deficit to 38-35 early in the second half, but two more 3-pointers by Carroll helped pad the Aggies' lead to 47-37 with 15:38 remaining.

Utah State increased the lead to as many as 14, but the 'Bows staged a final rally to make it exciting in the closing minutes.

Luettgerodt's driving layup with 5:16 remaining capped a 15-2 Hawai'i surge that cut the Utah State lead to 59-58 with 5:16 remaining.

The 'Bows finally caught the Aggies at 63 with 1:42 left on a shot by Luettgerodt that bounced off the top of the backboard and then into the net.

Carroll led the Aggies with 27 points and eight rebounds.