Don Verlin and the Idaho Vandals are still hunting for an elusive WAC tournament win. The third-seeded Vandals blew a seven-point lead in the final 61/2 minutes and dropped a 72-70 heartbreaker to No. 6 Hawaii in the quarterfinal round this afternoon in Las Vegas.

Idaho is now 0-4 under Verlin at the WAC tournament and the Vandals have yet to win more than a play-in game at the event. Read on.

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It was a wild finish at Orleans Arena. Idaho's Kyle Barone hit a layup with 20 seconds left to draw the Vandals even with Hawaii, 70-70. But Hans Brereton picked up a loose ball and sank a short jumper with 3.2 seconds remaining. Those were the decisive points, as Idaho turned it over on the ensuing inbounds play.

The Vandals led 64-57 with 6:25 left after trailing by 11 points in the first half. They were in a groove for much of the second half, but a series of poor possessions doomed the Vandals. They tied the game at 68-all with a three-play from Deremy Geiger with 50 seconds left, but Vander Joaquim responded with a tip-in after a Barone block.

Hawaii outscored the Vandals 15-6 to finish the game.

Barone scored 19 points and Stephen Madison had 15 for Idaho. UH was without starting guard Zane Johnson (illness) while Joston Thomas, one of its other top scorers, fouled out after drawing a technical with more than 12 minutes left.

But Brereton and Shaquille Stokes picked up the slack with 17 points apiece and Vander Joaquim had a game-high 20 points and 13 rebounds. In last week's 82-63 Idaho win at UH, Joaquim had just four points.

The Vandals (18-13) are expected to play in a postseason tournament. They finished third in the WAC and were No. 135 in the RPI coming into the week.

Hawaii will play New Mexico State or Fresno State in the semifinals on Friday.