You don't get to be a top-20 team with just one player.

Nevada proved that last night in a 68-66 overtime victory over the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Without national player of the year candidate Nick Fazekas, the Wolf Pack rallied from late deficits in both regulation and overtime to frustrate the Rainbow Warriors.

"This team knows they gave one away tonight to a good team that worked hard against us," Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said. "But we had every chance to win it."

Nevada, which is ranked No. 19 in The Associated Press Top 25, improved to 16-1 overall and 4-0 in the Western Athletic Conference.

Hawai'i dropped to 10-7 and 1-3 with only its second home loss of this season.

The Wolf Pack is on a nine-game winning streak, and the last two have come without Fazekas. The 6-foot-11 senior was not in uniform last night because of a sprained left ankle.

"As I said, without Fazekas, they're still a top three team in the WAC, and I think you can see that tonight," Wallace said.

Nevada head coach Mark Fox said: "He was really disappointed he couldn't play, but I told him your health is more important, and you're not ready to play. But to win without him is big for us."

Nevada point guard Ramon Sessions played a clutch role, getting the Wolf Pack into overtime with a driving layup at the end of regulation, and then making a nearly identical shot for what proved to be the winning basket with 27.1 seconds remaining in overtime.

"It just came in the offense," Sessions said. "It wasn't my decision or the coaches' decision. It was the offense we ran."

Hawai'i took a 66-64 lead with 3:12 remaining in overtime on a turnaround jump shot by Bobby Nash, but then went scoreless the rest of the way.

Nevada tied it at 66 on two free throws by David Ellis, then took the lead on Sessions' drive to the basket.

"He took me off the dribble repeatedly," Hawai'i point guard Dominic Waters said. "I would cut him off one way, and he'd spin back. I take full responsibility for my part of it."

On Hawai''s ensuing possession, Ahmet Gueye missed a tough shot over two Nevada defenders. The rebound bounced out of bounds off a Nevada player, so Hawai'i retained possession.

On the inbounds play, Nash tried to get a pass under the basket to Gueye, but the ball bounced away and a scramble ensued, prompting a jump ball call. The possession arrow pointed to Nevada, and the Wolf Pack then ran out the final 2.2 seconds.

Wallace said Nash was supposed to throw the inbounds pass to Matt Lojeski for a shot at a tying or go-ahead basket.

"Bobby froze and wasn't able to release the ball to Lojeski," Wallace said.

But the 'Bows had several opportunities before that.

In the absence of Fazekas, Gueye dominated the low post. The 6-8 senior finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Hawai'i grabbed 42 rebounds to Nevada's 33, marking the first time this season that the Wolf Pack got out-rebounded.

Lojeski contributed 17 points and six rebounds, but also committed six of Hawai'i's 15 turnovers.

"We didn't focus at crucial times of the game," Lojeski said. "It just sucks that we had an opportunity like this to win and we just let it slip away."

Aside from the final outcome, it was an exciting game for the "Green and White Night" crowd of 6,322 — the largest of this season.

The teams were tied 12 times, and the lead changed eight times.

Hawai'i rallied from a 57-53 deficit in regulation to tie it at 57 on a putback by P.J. Owsley.

The 'Bows then took a 61-59 lead, although it could have been more, as Nash and Waters each hit one of two free throws. Waters' free throw gave Hawai'i the 61-59 lead with 31.7 seconds remaining.

On Nevada's ensuing possession, Sessions drove to the basket for the tying layup with 18.1 seconds remaining.

On Hawai'i's last possession of regulation, Lojeski was stripped of the ball just before the final horn sounded.

"I don't know if it was clean, but that was the last second of the game and (the referees) are not going to call it," Lojeski said.

The largest lead of the game came in the first half when the 'Bows got ahead, 22-15. Hawai'i eventually took a 30-26 lead at intermission.

Sessions scored 19 points to lead the Wolf Pack. Kyle Shiloh added 18 on 8-of-10 shooting, and Marcelus Kemp scored 11.

The 'Bows got key contributions from Owsley (six rebounds and a team-high five assists), and reserve center Stephen Verwers (six points and three rebounds).

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.