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POSTED: Sunday, October 26, 2008

  The Hawaii football team saved its best for last in a dramatic Western Athletic Conference win over Nevada last night at Aloha Stadium.

Greg Alexander, the third of three quarterbacks the Warriors used, tossed a 24-yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Lane with 20 seconds left to lift Hawaii to the 38-31 win before a crowd of 33,020.

After Nevada tied the score 31-31 with 1:31 left in regulation, Alexander marched the Warriors 77 yards in nine plays.

It appeared the Warriors would set up a game-winning field goal, but on third and 1 from the Wolf Pack 24, Alexander lofted a throw down the right side and Lane pulled it in for the game-winner.

Alexander finished 17-for-22 for 205 yards and two touchdowns. Mike Washington led the Warriors with 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Inoke Funaki got the start at quarterback and alternated with Tyler Graunke in the first quarter and Alexander in the second half.

Alexander played all but one drive in the second half and his performance was just enough to outgun Nevada's pistol offense.

Wolf Pack quarterback Colin Kaepernick posted 141 rushing yards and 173 passing, with two touchdowns by air and one on a 61-yard run.

His second touchdown pass, a 34-yarder to Chris Wellington, tied the score, but the Hawaii offense had one more answer in their highest-scoring game of the season.

A fumble return by John Fonoti and Funaki's 26-yard touchdown pass to Mike Washington sent UH into halftime with a 14-10 lead.

After Alexander led the Warriors to a field goal to open the third quarter, Nevada running back Vai Taua tied it at 17 with a 79-yard touchdown run.

A 45-yard kickoff return by Lane set up a Funaki-led scoring drive capped by David Farmer's 9-yard run. Alexander stretched the Hawaii lead to 31-17 with a 16-yard score to Washington on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Nevada cut the UH lead 31-24 when Kaepernick hit Marko Mitchell for a 5-yard score on fourth and goal with 10:29 left.