BOISE, Idaho — Matt Gibson wants help for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team, but it's the kind of help nobody seems to know about.

"I just want this team to start winning," he said. "If somebody can please tell me how to do that, I'll do what ever it takes."

In what has been a familiar theme this season, Gibson had a productive outing in a loss by the Rainbow Warriors.

This time, he tied his UH career high with 26 points in a 95-80 loss to Boise State at the Taco Bell Arena.

"I've been playing here a long time and got no national recognition yet for this team," said the 6-foot-5 senior point guard. "And it's getting old. I just want to win, help put this program up there. I don't take no pride in having a good game if we don't win."

But Gibson's 18 second half points helped make the final score respectable.

He shot 8 of 15 from the field, and 8 of 10 on free throws. He also tied his career high with five steals, but passed for a season-low one assist.

The 'Bows trailed by 25 at halftime, and by 31 midway through the second half.

"When you get down that big, there's only one thing you can do," Gibson said. "You have to pick up the tempo. You have to put up shots, force turnovers, rebound. We tried to do that in the second half."

Gibson had his best scoring game of this season despite constant taunts from the Boise State student section throughout the game. The fans made comments about his spiked hair, his tattoos, and his conversations with the referees.

"I'm used to that after all these years," he said. "You know me, I seem to be a crowd favorite everywhere I go."

Gibson missed the first four games of this season due to a knee injury. He was also suspended for the first half of a game in December for disciplinary reasons.

But lately, he has been the 'Bows' most consistent player.

He has scored in double-figures in 12 consecutive games, and leads the team in scoring with 16.5 points per game.

"I'm gonna keep trying," he said. "I still believe we can win every game and I'm going to do what ever I can to help us do that."

NASH DEFENDS 'BOWS' PLAY IN CLOSING MINUTES

Despite moans and groans from the Boise State media seated at courtside, Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said he was pleased with the 'Bows' hustle at the end of last night's game.

Hawai'i — which has only 10 active players — had several starters still on the court in the closing minutes. The 'Bows out-scored Boise State, 21-5, in the final four minutes.

Nash even called a timeout with 13 seconds remaining, but he said that it had nothing to do with Boise State, or the crowd of 4,896 that booed the move.

"Just because the score was what it was ... I'm still trying to teach things for the future," Nash said. "We still had timeouts and it was a teaching situation to run a play with time left. I have a team to try to get together for the next game or a game down the future where we might have that situation. It's all about teaching."

Nash did use all 10 of his players, and each 'Bow got at least nine minutes of action.

VEIT'S ONLY BASKET A MEMORABLE ONE

Reserve forward Alex Veit made just one field goal last night, but it was one for the highlight reel.

After Gibson missed a jump shot, Veit soared in from the wing, grabbed the rebound in mid-air and dunked it with two hands. It even drew applause from the Boise State fans, although the Broncos were ahead, 72-50, at the time.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.