Its two top scorers played just five minutes combined. But the University of Hawaii men’s basketball team still had enough firepower to lead all the way in the season’s first road game and deliver Eran Ganot’s 100th victory as head coach of the Rainbow Warriors on Thursday.

Bernardo da Silva, a 6-foot-9 frontliner, sat out with a hand injury and starting guard Noel Coleman played just five scoreless minutes as UH beat Illinois-Chicago 88-80 in a first-round game of the Las Vegas Classic at the Orleans Arena.

Da Silva and Coleman had combined to average 32 points in Hawaii’s first three games of the season two weeks ago, and both were named to the all-tournament team at the Outrigger Rainbow Classic.

On Thanksgiving, the Flames started a three-guard offense, and the Warriors enjoyed a significant height advantage and outrebounded UIC 34-23.

The Rainbow Warriors actually got taller without da Silva, since it meant 7-footer Mate Colina started in his place. Colina responded with a career-high 23 points to lead all scorers. He was also game-high with seven rebounds.

“The first couple games were hard for him,” Ganot said of Colina, who made nine of 12 shots from the floor and five of eight from the line Thursday. “But he stayed ready and tonight was his turn.”

UH (3-1) meets South Alabama at 1 p.m. today in the four-team tournament’s championship game. The Jaguars beat San Diego 68-67 in the first game Thursday.

“We’ll monitor Noel’s situation and we don’t expect Bernardo to play (today),” Ganot said. “We’ve got to be smart about that. Especially this early in the season, we’ve got to think of the long term.”

The production of da Silva and Coleman was replaced by a group effort, as five Warriors scored in double figures. Kamaka Hepa had 19, Jerome Desrosiers 16, and Junior Madut and JoVon McClanahan 10 each.

Also, Amoro Lado’s eight points included key back-to-back 3-pointers to help stave off one of several UIC comeback attempts after Hawaii went up by 17 late in the first half.

The Flames closed to 76-70 on Damaria Franklin’s fifth 3-pointer with 5:38 left, but that was as close as they’d get, and the Rainbow Warriors made seven of eight free throws down the stretch.

“Once again, the guys have been great, dealing with being shorthanded again,” Ganot said. “Young guys are getting experience.”

UH started the season minus two other players who were expected to start, or at least contribute heavily.

“You focus on what you can control, and no one person does it all,” the coach said. “You ask each person to do a little bit more.”

Hawaii did nearly everything well Thursday, including shooting 52 percent from the floor and making just seven turnovers. Ganot would like to see improvement on perimeter defense, though.

UIC made 14 of 33 shots from beyond the arc despite a frigid start. Franklin led his team with 22 points and Kevin Johnson scored 20.

“Over the years we’ve been pretty good defending the 3,” Ganot said. “But they make 10 a game, and they got it going at the end of the first half. Give ’em credit for spreading us out and knocking ’em down and getting back in the game.”

Ganot downplayed reaching 100 wins early in his seventh season as head coach at Manoa.

“All it means is I’ve been very fortunate to coach a bunch of great guys and work with a lot of great people,” he said.