Petras Balocka can be excused for being a little bleary-eyed during the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team's practice yesterday afternoon.

Less than 24 hours after losing a road game at Nevada, the Rainbow Warriors were back in Honolulu, preparing for tomorrow's game against Utah State.

"I haven't slept in 24 hours," he said. "I have a major problem sleeping on planes, and it's hard for me to sleep right after a game."

Balocka and the rest of the 'Bows will need to recover by tonight, when they host the first place team in the Western Athletic Conference.

Hawai'i, which is on a four-game losing streak, is 9-9 overall and in last place in the WAC at 1-5. The Aggies, who are on a 13-game winning streak, are 18-1 overall and 6-0 in the WAC.

"Nobody gave them that record, they went out and earned all those wins," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "They do a good job of staying in their system, no matter what the situation. They're like machines."

The proof is in the statistics.

Utah State is currently tied for first in the nation with a team field-goal percentage of .508. The Aggies also lead the WAC in free-throw percentage (.736) and assists per game (16.5).

"We have to find a way to be disruptive and not give them clean looks every single time," Nash said.

The Aggies also have one of the leading candidates for WAC Player of the Year in forward Gary Wilkinson. The 6-foot-9 senior is averaging 17.1 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, and has a .605 field goal percentage.

He scored 25 points in a 62-58 road victory over San Jose State on Thursday.

Both the Aggies and 'Bows arrived in Honolulu yesterday afternoon.

"It does feel a little like a road game, going straight from the plane to practice," Hawai'i point guard Kareem Nitoto said. "But we just have to fight through it. You have to go through adversity to get better."

Balocka said: "Yeah, it's a hard schedule, but who cares? We still have to play the game. I guarantee (the Aggies) don't care what we had to do."

If anything, the 'Bows hope to bring momentum from the second half of the loss at Nevada. After trailing by 20 points early in the second half, Hawai'i got as close as six, and eventually lost by 11 (74-63).

"That first half was horrible, worse than bad," Balocka said. "We had no choice but to play better. But if we can play like we did in that second half, we definitely can beat Utah State. We just can't come out flat like we did against Nevada."

The 'Bows are averaging just 55.0 points per game during their four-game losing streak.

Roderick Flemings is averaging 15.8 points per game in Hawai'i's last four games. He now ranks second in the WAC in scoring with 17.3 points per game (New Mexico State's Jahmar Young is first at 17.5).

"We all have to get involved, and this is the game to do it," Balocka said. "I look forward to every opponent, but this is a very, very good Utah State team. If we can win this one, it will be a big boost for us for the rest of the season."

Nash said there is one way for the 'Bows to shake the jet lag by tonight.

"Hopefully our fans show up and support us," he said. "Make it feel like a home game."

WESLEY RETURNS TO 'SECOND HOME'

There is one Utah State player who is familiar with O'ahu. Sophomore forward Tai Wesley has spent the last three summers in La'ie.

"My parents moved here three years ago; they both work for BYU-Hawai'i," he said. "This is like a second home for me now. I know all the places to go."

Wesley has also made himself comfortable on the court against the 'Bows. In two games against Hawai'i last season, he shot 12 of 14 from the field and averaged 19.5 points per game.

He is averaging 11.3 points per game this season, and leads the team with a .644 field goal percentage.

"We all work hard to get good shots," Wesley said. "We play together as a team really well, and we'll go inside-out until we find a good shot."

Wesley said he is aware that the Aggies are on the verge of breaking into the Top 25 rankings.

"We know people still ask how good we are," he said. "We feel like we have to prove ourselves night in and night out. That's why we don't take any team for granted."

Wesley said his parents and sister will attend tonight's game.

NOTES

The 2008 inductees into the UH Circle of Honor will be recognized at halftime of tonight's game. Members of the 2008 class are former men's volleyball player Clay Stanley, former women's volleyball player Heather Bown, former athletic director Ray Nagel, and former football player John "Jack" Johnson Jr.

Bob Nash will be honored at a Hawai'i Friends of Civil Rights ceremony tomorrow as a recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Friends Awards. Nash and three others were selected for their outstanding contributions to Dr. King's legacy.