The Brigham Young University-Hawai'i men's basketball team was both remarkable — and the last one in Hawai'i standing this season.

But the best team in the state?

We'll never know, of course.

Too bad, too, because after the Seasiders started their run toward the NCAA Division II playoffs, a game against the University of Hawai'i-Manoa would have been a much-talked about matchup. A lot more so than some of the teams that found their way on to either team's schedule.

The Seasiders, who finished 27-2, definitely have some players who could play in Division I and the Western Athletic Conference, but probably not the depth that UH, which finished 13-17, could summon on most nights. Still, as Chaminade showed Virginia, on any given night ...

If wishing could make it so, what we'd like to see would be an annual regular season game between UH and the previous year's Pacific West Conference champion. In 2009-10 that would mean Roderick Flemings, Bill Amis & Co. against Lucas Alves, "Jet" Chang and Virgil Buensuceso.

But, sadly, such are the particulars of Division I that the stars are aligned against that probably ever happening in the regular season. For one thing, WAC policy is against its members playing non-Division I opponents except in dire need because it lowers the conference Ratings Percentage Index, the formula the NCAA selection committee uses to help make its choice of teams for the NCAA Tournament.

For another, scheduling and losing to a D-II team on your home floor has coach-killer potential that only the very brave — or foolhardy — risk. If the big boys win, well, isn't that what they're supposed to do? And, heaven forbid should there be an upset.

Which is why this season UH forked over $32,875 — and reluctantly agreed to allow Buffalo to select its bracket — to avoid putting a D-II team in the Rainbow Classic when few other takers could be found. And UH didn't even end up playing the Bulls.

Consider that UH last played BYUH in women's volleyball in a 1998 battle of highly ranked Division I and II teams and coach Dave Shoji was ripped for even taking the risk in a match the Rainbow Wahine won in four games.

This season the UH basketball team played both UH-Hilo and Chaminade in preseason exhibition games that did not figure into the record or strength of scheduling indexes. The 'Bows won by two and 17 points, respectively. BYUH beat the same two opponents by an average of eight points each over four games, home and home.

What does that prove? Little, of course, which is why you'd like to see a meeting on the court.

So, anybody for an exhibition — if that's what it must be — in November?

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