For a school that would seem to have little constituency in Las Cruces, N.M., it can be surprising how many people there suddenly take a keen interest in the fortunes of the University of Hawai'i men's and women's teams in the Western Athletic Conference basketball tournament.

But maybe it shouldn't be.

The Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine share with Nevada for headquarters what is deemed the best hotel in the area, the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, and some people have designs on getting the rooms as soon as the UH teams are eliminated.

Which, as history sadly informs us, has usually been early in recent years.

Four consecutive WAC tournaments now the UH women have been eliminated in their first game, barely unpacking before being bounced. Three times in four years the men have been first-game casualties. Four consecutive years they haven't gotten past the quarterfinals.

Hardly an encouraging trend as the women begin play tomorrow and men open up Thursday, both as decided underdogs. The 12-17 Rainbow Wahine play host New Mexico State (21-8) and the Warriors (11-18) open up against Boise State (22-8).

In a season in which the WAC has been weak and both tournaments would appear more wide open than usual, UH teams are still considerable longshots at best.

Neither UH team took a game — home or away — from its opening opponent in the regular season. The women would seem to face the more arduous task since the Aggies are 14-2 on the Pan American Center court, one victory short of tying the school record for home floor victories. The men have their own problems, limping in with a six-game losing streak.

Never before have UH teams fallen on such combined hard times. The slide is a little puzzling, too, since both UH teams have had their moments over the years. Big ones, too. Indeed, just a few years ago both were at the top of their games — and the conference — at the same time. While the men won the 2001 and '02 tournaments and the automatic NCAA Tournament bids that went with them, the Rainbow Wahine got to the championship game both years.

But that, as we have been reminded, was a while ago. And if the 'Bows and Rainbow Wahine don't make a breakthrough this year, you wonder when they might since they both lose considerable senior firepower.

Meanwhile, the vultures loom, waiting to move into UH's hotel, should Hawai'i exit early again. Of course, UH had the last laugh last season, even if it was something of a Pyrrhic Victory. When UH was unable to secure a change in flights out of the area, its teams had to remain encamped for several more days.

It would be nice, not to mention well overdue, if the UH teams could stick around on their own merits this time.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.