We’d seen a game in which Hawaii scored 100 points. We’d also seen the Rainbow Warriors pull off an overtime upset of a Top 25 team.

But for pure entertainment value, none of UH’s 10 previous wins this season matched Saturday night’s whacky 91-87 victory over New Mexico State. It had armchair coaches pulling out their hair. But for the 6,000 fans at the Sheriff Center merely in search of a good time? Fun, fun, fun.

Especially after a depleted Hawaii team lost to a so-so Louisiana Tech team Thursday, the Aggies — unbeaten in the WAC — loomed as a huge challenge. But the Rainbows took control early and maintained it until NMSU nearly pressed its way back to win.

Sure, most of the UH faithful probably were not amused by the near collapse at the end, and would have preferred that the home team just build on the 19-point lead.

So, of course, would the coaching staff. Winning with 21 turnovers added even more spice to a game already full of flavor, but is also a red flag for the future. Word — and video — will get around the WAC fast, and UH had better be ready to face plenty of fullcourt pressure.

"We’ve got to use the pass more instead of over-dribbling," UH point guard Miah Ostrowski said. "(The Aggies) were long and athletic, so that helped them get (turnovers)."

But this game was also about resilience. The backcourt tandem of Zane Johnson and Ostrowski came back strong after both missed Thursday night’s game due to illness.

Johnson had the flu Thursday, but there were no lasting ill-effects, except that he was still hot. His 29 points included seven 3-pointers and a dunk. Whatever nectar of the gods was in that IV to which he was hooked up on Thursday … hey, give me some of that stuff.

With 8 minutes left in the first half, Johnson had still outscored the Aggies. At that point it was Z.J. 12, NMSU 11.

"Whenever they started to make it close, he’d hit a 3," Ostrowski said.

But the biggest cheers went to Ostrowski, when he hit his first 3-pointer of the season and then a reverse layup for a 14-point lead about 5 minutes into the second half. He fought off a staph infection that kept him out of Thursday’s game and registered eight assists against four turnovers to go with his seven points. If he hasn’t already, the Punahou product is on his way to passing Alika Smith as the program’s most popular homegrown player, ever.

The standing ovation for an individual, however, was reserved for backup center Davis Rozitis … when he fouled out with 1:55 left in the first half, culminating a gritty 14 minutes in place of starter Vander Joaquim, who was whistled twice in the first 3 minutes.

Rozitis ran out of fouls in the first half nearly as quickly as UH ran out of timeouts in the second half, and that helped the Aggies mount their late comeback.

And it’s probably a good thing for Hawaii that NMSU ran out of clock. Joaquim and Shaq Stokes made free throws in the final minute to seal it, but anyone rooting for the home team had to agree it was enough fun for one night. Maybe more than enough.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783.