Is there, just maybe, another holiday miracle tucked somewhere in the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team's Christmas stocking?

Gosh knows it has been a while for the Rainbow Warriors who, once upon a time, pulled off a few.

Kansas ring a bell?

Cincinnati?

For openers, last night it was enough that the 'Bows took down the College of Charleston, 84-71, in the first round of the inaugural Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.

That was no small breakthrough in itself, marking the first time in three years the 'Bows have won the opening round game of one of their Christmas tournaments.

That sets up a 6:30 p.m. semifinal meeting tonight on national television with 20th-ranked Nevada-Las Vegas, the first nationally ranked team the 'Bows face in a Christmas tournament slot since Tennessee in 2000.

The 11-1 Rebels look like the tallest order these 'Bows have confronted this year, right up there at least with New Mexico, which inflicted an 81-73 loss back around Thanksgiving and has since bolted up the polls to No. 13.

A sobering prospect to be sure. A couple weeks ago you would have cringed at the thought of the 'Bows playing a ranked team seeing it as less a reward than impending doom.

But last night, in front of a Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 4,567, UH showed not only considerable improvement but some hope and promise, looking for the better part of the night the best they have in a 6-4 start.

You sensed these 'Bows knew a lot more was riding on this one than just whether they played in the prime time TV game and played like it.

Clearly the nine days rest since taking the floor Dec. 12th against Chicago State did wonders, especially when it came to shooting. UH thanks to a dominating game in the paint led by Petras Balocka's double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds, made good on 60.4 percent of its field goal attempts, its best shooting night since Oregon State in 2006.

Not by coincidence, perhaps, that was also the last season the 'Bows managed to win four games in a row.

This time it marked the longest winning streak of head coach Bob Nash's three seasons and the relief was apparent. And, so was the growing confidence.

Can the Rainbow Warriors summon another Christmas upset this week after nearly nine years of waiting?

Nash gave it a "why-not" shrug of his shoulders and said, "We're gonna try. We'll see what happens."

From where the 'Bows have come these last few years, that, like the game that has put them here, said a lot in itself.