Guard Jeremy Lay was almost too much last night.

But by himself he wasn't nearly enough for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team to knock off unbeaten New Mexico.

Not even an eye-opening, game-high 26-point performance by the junior college transfer in his biggest outing as a Rainbow Warrior could stem the eventual tide in an 83-71 non-conference loss to the 6-0 Lobos.

And that has to be a concern as the 'Bows, under .500 for the first time this young season at 2-3 after a 2-0 start, head on to the road next week.

Lay made 7 of 17 shots, driving the lane, bombing from outside (4 of 8 from 3-point range), managed three steals and only turned the ball over once in 33 minutes off the bench.

It was a performance that brought to life the Stan Sheriff Center gathering of 4,015 and kept them around in a second half where UH trailed by as many as 20 points.

But with the 'Bows' leading scorer, Roderick Flemings (15.3), reduced to a non-factor and their second-leading scorer, Dwain Williams, not even in the arena while under suspension, there was a limit to what Lay could do.

Flemings was 2-of-6 shooting and 0-of-4 from the free-throw line, giving him more turnovers (5) than points (4).

Meanwhile, Williams, who could be a difference-maker for this team with his outside shooting, and had been averaging 13.3 points, is in the dog house with a two-game suspension for violating team rules, according to head coach Bob Nash. Williams is not scheduled to make the trip to UC Irvine for Wednesday's game.

In the midst of all that, Lay didn't give it the, well, old college try, attempting to hoist the struggling 'Bows on his 6-foot, 185-pound frame. His six points in the final 2 minutes, 13 seconds of the first half enabled UH to take a surprising 36-35 lead into halftime.

And his 15 second-half points helped UH close what had been a 20-point deficit to nine points with 34 seconds left.

But on a night when the Lobos were superior athletically when they wanted to be, Lay didn't have enough help to get the job done. Petras Balocka's career-high 16 rebounds and Hiram Thompson's 15 points certainly helped.

But they paled to the fusillade that was the Lobos in the 14-0 run to start the second half. "It was more of a demeanor thing than anything else," Lobos coach Steve Alford said. "It was a matter of us finding our focus."

Added Alford: "Lay got away from us." But because Lay didn't have enough help, the game did not elude the Lobos.