ESPN Men's Basketball

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -- Michael Harris scored a career-high 29 points to help Rice hang on to edge Hawaii 70-68 on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Western Athletic Conference tournament.

Hawaii (19-11) had a chance to send the game into overtime, but Phil Martin's put-back of Logan Lee's intentional missed free throw with 3.4 seconds left rolled off the rim as time expired.

Fourth-seeded Rice (22-9) advanced to Friday's semifinals against Nevada, the tournament's top seed.

Harris made 13 of 20 field goals despite missing a dunk and two layups. Jason McKrieth added 19 points, joining Harris as the only Rice players in double figures.

Michael Kuebler led Hawaii with 15 points and Julian Sensley added 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

Rice shot 56.4 percent from the field, including 66.7 percent in the second half while overcoming a 39-35 halftime deficit.

After Hawaii's Jeff Blackett made a free throw to tie the game at 61 with 5:19 left, McKreith hit a pull-up jumper and J.R. Harris added consecutive baskets to give the Owls a six-point lead.

Blackett scored seven straight points for Hawaii down the stretch, including a short jumper with 18 seconds left to pull the Rainbow Warriors to 70-67.

Blackett finished with 13 points.

Rice's Rashid Smith missed a free throw with 12 seconds left. Sensley grabbed the rebound and passed to Lee, who was fouled by Smith at the top of the key before he could attempt a shot.

Lee made the first free throw to make the score 70-68 and intentionally missed the second. The ball caromed right to Martin, who couldn't convert the open 2-footer.