Hawaii’s winners-bracket drought was extended in painful fashion.

For the fourth straight year, the Rainbow Warriors were banished to the consolation bracket of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic when Garrett Nevels’ desperation 3-point runner from 23 feet hit front iron at the buzzer in a 62-61 loss to Boise State on Sunday night at the Stan Sheriff Center.

UH (7-3) had its five-game winning streak snapped by a former Western Athletic Conference rival. The ‘Bows’ only appearance in the Diamond Head semifinals to date was in the holiday event’s inaugural year of 2009.

Nevels’ shot bounced off the front of the rim, against the backboard and to the side as time expired. At least one player grabbed the net and rim as time expired and the season-high crowd of under 7,000 — along with UH coach Gib Arnold — pleaded with the referees to review the play for basket interference. They did not.

"I would have liked to have seen them take a look at it," Arnold said. "I assume they were thinking that was our own guy, so that’s why they didn’t review it."

Replays appeared to show it was UH guard Keith Shamburger who moved the rim, with his hand grabbing the net.

"Those ones are always tough when you battle like that and you lose at the buzzer," Arnold said. "You look back at a few things you wish you had back, and those ones really hurt. Any competitor, it hurts. You know, I think it’s supposed to hurt."

UH continues play against Saint Mary’s — and former assistant coach Eran Ganot — at 6:30 p.m. today. The Gaels (9-1) took their first loss of the season against South Carolina earlier Sunday. Saint Mary’s defeated Boise State in Boise, 82-74, earlier this month.

Senior guard Brandon Spearman led UH with a season-high 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting. He came up with several big defensive plays as well.

"I just let the game come to me. I was fortunate it came to me tonight," Spearman said. "I’m proud of my team. We played hard."

Shamburger had 13 points, five assists and six turnovers. Isaac Fotu added 12 points on 6-for-10 shooting.

The ‘Bows had their hands full against the Broncos, a team returning all five starters from an NCAA Tournament squad. But Boise State had its issues, too, after the teams had a full week to scout each other.

"This is a tough place to play, we know that from coming here back in the WAC days," Boise State coach Leon Rice said. "There’s not a lot of teams that come in here and get a win, especially with the atmosphere like it was tonight. It was a great college basketball atmosphere and it was like a Mountain West Conference game. So for us to come in and get the win is huge."

Two of the highest-scoring teams in the country faced off for the right to meet South Carolina in today’s second semifinal. It was a back-and-forth battle with 10 ties and six lead changes between teams averaging the same scoring average (86.4) going in.

Boise State’s Anthony Drmic (21 points) sank the go-ahead 3-pointer with a minute left for a 62-60 lead, and Shamburger was called for traveling at the other end with 41.9 seconds to go.

UH needed a stop and got one when Drmic missed on a take. Backup guard Quincy Smith was fouled on a quick strike at the other end with 8.7 seconds left.

Smith, a 70 percent foul shooter entering the game, had his first shot rim out as the crowd groaned. He made the second to make it 62-61 Boise.

UH took a timeout and had to foul, but it had a foul to give, something that worked against the ‘Bows in this instance. After a near-steal by Spearman, the ‘Bows took the first foul with 5.1 seconds left. After another timeout, Spearman applied another foul with 4.7 seconds to go.

Boise State’s Ryan Watkins missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Nevels collected the rebound and dribbled upcourt himself.

"We know we didn’t have any timeouts. If he missed the free throw, we knew we had to push it," Spearman said. "(Garrett) had a good look at it. It just didn’t fall, but we’ll be OK."

Boise brought several hundred fans, a group bolstered by part of the contingent from their football team, which is here for Tuesday’s Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

UH took a five-point lead early in the second half, but Boise State’s Thomas Bropleh — one of the Broncos’ only holdovers from their WAC days — hit a 3-pointer for a six-point lead with six minutes left.

The ‘Bows rallied one more time, tying it up at 54 on a Shamburger step-back shot with four minutes to go.

Spearman connected on four of his first five shots to help rally UH from an early eight-point hole. UH led by one point at the half.

Leading scorer Christian Standhardinger was hampered by foul trouble the whole way and went just 3-for-9 (seven points) after scoring a season-best 31 against Chaminade.

Drmic, Boise State’s leading scorer, picked up his fourth foul, going for a rebound with 13:36 to play. He sat until late.