Before he took up basketball in his native Toronto, Paul Campbell played some spirited hockey.

So the concept of playing short-handed was nothing new to him. Nor was how he forcefully went about solving the situation for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.

On a night when the Rainbow Warriors were without two key starters, Roderick Flemings and Hiram Thompson, due to injury and raggedly in danger of an ignominious defeat, Campbell threw his 6-foot-10, 215-pound frame into the task with hockey-like abandon to help carry UH to an 81-62 victory over Northwestern State.

Career highs in rebounds (15) and points (14) along with a no-nonsense defensive presence and three blocked shots by Campbell helped carry the 'Bows happily into the new year despite their 17 turnovers and inconsistent shooting.

Flemings and Thompson on the end of the bench in street clothes was a sobering sight for the UH faithful in a Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 2,579. And an encouraging one for the Demons, who, not for the first time, thought they had stumbled upon a very vulnerable UH team.

But how the mild-mannered Campbell and the 'Bows took up the challenge made for one of the more uplifting chapters of the season for the 'Bows.

"I can't shout out enough praise (about Campbell)," said UH coach Bob Nash, who nevertheless tried. "It was truly rewarding to see him (Campbell) play a complete game. Not just rebounding, not just offensively but defensive presence and helping his guards. If we were giving game balls, he'd definitely get one."

So, too, would guard Dwain Williams, whose game-high 28 points propel UH into WAC play Saturday at 7-6.

But it was the can-do Campbell who set the tone inside early and often for the 'Bows, who used a 53-38 mastery on the boards to overcome their other failings.

"I know Rod and Hiram do a lot for the team (and) they are two of our main parts of our offense, so, I felt like I had to step up," Campbell said. "Especially with Rod, he gets a lot of rebounds at his position so I had to do a lot more."

It was a familiar story for Demons coach Mike McConathy. In 2005 he caught UH without Julian Sensley, Matt Gibson and Bobby Nash only to see the freshman Thompson lead an 80-76 UH win. "That's the way it has been," McConathy said. "Somebody finds a way."

This time it was the ex-hockey player.