LAS CRUCES, N.M. — You won't catch the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team looking past Utah State today.

Too bad, too, in a way because if they took just the quickest of peeks the Rainbow Warriors would see a 24-karat golden opportunity if they win this Western Athletic Conference Tournament opener. Nothing to divert the focus on the matter at hand, you understand, but just enough to provide a little extra incentive.

Beat Utah State (21-10) in the 11:30 a.m. (Hawai'i time) game and some interesting possibilities begin to unfold. Some curious ones, too, like a team that has traveled 3,000 miles being in a position to be a home crowd favorite for a night in the Pan American Center.

"If they (win against Utah State), I'll make sure that's the case (Friday)," promised Reggie Theus, coach of host New Mexico State.

A lot of people here — those who didn't arrive on flights from Reno, anyway — not only think UH has one of the better chances of knocking off reigning champion Nevada, but have rooting interests in seeing them do so. Foremost among them being the 'Bows, of course, whose Job One is to win the tournament and its automatic NCAA bid or, failing that, get to the postseason through the National Invitation Tournament. Anything to prolong the 8-3 run they are currently on. Anything to push back head coach Riley Wallace's retirement and their own return to the classroom.

At 18-12, the 'Bows are currently on the extreme bubble of NIT consideration. But go to 19 wins and things are significantly looking up. Moreover, should they knock off Nevada (27-3) they assure another WAC team, possibly New Mexico State, going to the NCAA, thus removing a contender for an NIT berth since Nevada is Big Dance-bound no matter what might befall it.

Nobody here would like to see UH play Nevada more than the New Mexico State faithful who have a growing grudge with the Wolf Pack, an abiding respect for the 'Bows and a fervent wish to win the tournament on their home floor. Something UH could help with. "Hawai'i matches up with (Utah State) really well and (Nevada), too," Theus said. "Well, actually Hawai'i beat 'em (the Wolf Pack)," a pointed reference to the controversial 69-68 loss in Reno last month.

Precisely the kind of dig that has seen Theus and the Wolf Pack Nation trading verbal jabs and barbed e-mails this year. The type that would send Aggie fans, some of the WAC's most vociferous, running, not walking, to the 'Bows' corner for any showdown with Nevada.

"Believe me, we'd like to have their, what, maybe, 10,000, 12,000 fans screaming for us and against somebody else," Wallace said. "We've heard them yelling at us and we'd prefer to have them on our side."

Said Theus: "If they take care of their end, I'll see to mine."

Win today and that becomes the likelihood.

Not to look ahead more than just a peek, you understand.

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