The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team can give thanks for a 1-1 record today.

"At the beginning of the year, I would take 1-1," Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said. "But after we got that first one, you want to go 2-0."

The Rainbow Warriors upset then-No. 4 Michigan State last Saturday, but lost at UNLV, 67-61, on Tuesday. They returned to Honolulu yesterday, vowing to return to winning ways at home.

"We lost one game, the season doesn't stop here," senior forward "Big Matt" Gipson said. "We lick our wounds and be disappointed, but we have to go back to work now. It just shows us that we're not an unbeatable team."

Wallace said UNLV exposed some weaknesses in his team. In particular, he was not pleased with how his players responded to defensive pressure or the pressure of shooting free throws in a close game.

"If there's two things we're working on this week, it's getting our offense to work against tight, pressure defense, and making free throws," Wallace said.

Hawai'i was 1 of 17 from 3-point range against the Rebels, and committed 19 turnovers. The 'Bows were also 6 of 18 from the free-throw line for a dismal 33.3 percent.

"If I had a choice, we'd be practicing (today)," Gipson said, even the 'Bows have the day off because of the travel. "There's no excuse for playing the way we did. We all know it, so I think we're going to come out this week and really try to work hard and show what kind of team we really are."

The 'Bows will not have much time to lament the loss. They will host Saint Louis on Saturday.

"We'll get it together," Wallace said. "It's the second game of the year. You expect to see mistakes early in the year."

Perhaps lost in the loss at UNLV was Hawai'i's defensive effort. The 'Bows limited the Rebels to a 38.2 field-goal percentage, including just 15 percent from 3-point range (3 of 20).

Hawai'i did it by using a 2-3 zone for most of the second half.

Wallace, who normally uses a man-to-man defense, said he made the switch to stop the quick-driving UNLV guards.

"I think it gives us another look that teams have to worry about when they play us," Wallace said.

The 'Bows also got an unprecedented zero from senior forward Julian Sensley, who was held scoreless for the first time in his three seasons at UH. Prior to Tuesday, he had scored in 63 consecutive games.

"I don't think that's going to happen again," Wallace said. "He doesn't score and we're still in the game. He just never got into a feel for the game. If he did, it'd be a different story."

UNLV head coach Lon Kruger agreed, saying "we don't expect that to happen the next time we go to the Islands," referring to the the rematch at the Stan Sheriff Center on Dec. 6.

"We just have to put this behind us as a team and move forward," Sensley said. "We know we're still capable of doing some big things this season."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.