The Hawai'i men's basketball team (19-11, 11-7) will make its fourth consecutive trip to the postseason when it travels to Utah State, for a National Invitation Tournament first round game, Wednesday, March 17. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m. MST at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

This Week's Matchup
The Rainbow Warriors are coming off a heart-breaking 70-68 loss to Rice in last week's McCaffrey Western Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinals. Despite losing seven of its last 10 games, the 'Bows still qualified for its eighth appearance in the NIT. Last season, UH went 1-1 in the tournament, including its first postseason road win since 1974.

Utah State (25-3, 17-1), members of the Big West Conference, will be making its fifth consecutive postseason appearance. The Aggies were snubbed from the NCAA Tournament after losing its conference tournament semifinal game to Cal State Northridge, 63-62. USU finished the regular season with a 17-1 mark and finished co-champions with eventual tournament champion Pacific.

The teams have met just twice, during the 1946-47 and 1966-67 seasons. Utah State will leave the Big West and join the WAC for the 2005-06 season, along with New Mexico State.

Game Update
UH guard Michael Kuebler continues to lead the WAC in 3-pointers made (87) and ranks second in scoring (18.0)...Kuebler needs two 3-pointers to tie Carl English's single-season record of 89 set last year...a victory would give UH its 10th 20-win season...Utah State is 15-0 at home this season...USU head coach Stew Morrill coached at Colorado State for seven years (1992-98)...UH head coach Riley Wallace was 9-5 against Morrill's Rams...UH is one of three WAC teams participating in the NIT.

What: National Invitation Tournament First Round Game

Who: Hawai'i (19-11) vs. Utah State (25-3)

When: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 7:05 p.m. MST/4:05 p.m. HST

Where: Dee Glen Smith Spectrum (10,270) - Logan, UT

Television: TBA

Radio: Sports and Talk Radio (KKEA 1420 AM). Bobby Curran (play-by-play), LIVE. Webcast link on uhathletics.hawaii.edu

Series: USU leads 2-0. Last meeting: USU won 106-64, Jan. 26, 1967 in Logan, Utah.

Coaches: Riley Wallace is 281-227 (.553) in his 17th season at UH. Stew Morrill is 143-44 (.765) in his sixth season at Utah State.

Officials: TBA

This Week's Opponent: Utah State
The Aggies, who at one point during the season boasted a 17-game win streak, was ranked No. 22 in last week's A.P. poll (March 8). USU's 25 wins is the third-most in school history and its regular season title is the third in the last five years. USU's backcourt is made up of All-Big West guards Cardell Butler and Mark Brown. Butler leads the Aggies in scoring (14.0), while Brown runs the offense, dishing out 4.9 assists per game. Forward Spencer Nelson, a second team all-Big West pick, averages a team-high 7.7 rebounds per game. The Aggies hold its opponents to just 57.1 points per game. In contrast, USU averages 69.1 ppg and shoots 51.1 percent from the field.

Previous NIT Appearances:
1971: Oklahoma (W, 88-87)
St. Bonaventure (L, 64-73)
1973: Fairfield (W, 66-65)
Purdue (L, 72-85)
1989: California (L, 57-73)
1990: Stanford (W, 69-57)
Long Beach State (W, 84-79)
New Mexico (L, 58-80)
1997: Oregon (W, 71-61)
UNLV (L, 80-89)
1998: Arizona State (W, 90-73)
Gonzaga (W, 78-70)
Fresno State (L, 83-85)
2003: UNLV (W, 85-68)
Minnesota (L, 70-84)

All-Time Record: 8-7



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