LAS VEGAS » Two of the best things University of Hawaii receiver Chris Gant has going for him are a short memory and a long stride.

"I try to put the bad things behind me and just keep on going," said Gant, whose effort Saturday pretty much symbolized that of his team for this night.

Like the Rainbow Warriors who surrounded him after his second touchdown, Gant shrugged off his early struggles and came back determined to make a game of it in Hawaii’s 39-37 loss to UNLV.

Indeed, until Nolan Kohorst’s 44-yard field goal cleared the crossbar as time expired to give the Rebels the victory, Gant seemed to have delivered the ‘Bows their first victory of 2013 with 1 minute, 44 seconds remaining.

He grabbed a pass from quarterback Sean Schroeder, split two defenders and raced 44 yards for a touchdown as UH overcame what had been a 36-17 fourth-quarter deficit to lead 37-36.

"Their guy (Gant) won that play," UNLV coach Bobby Hauck said. "That’s a play we should have made."

It was the second and biggest of Gant’s scores in a game in which he had six catches for 102 yards. It made consecutive weeks of two-touchdown, 100-yard performances for Gant, a feat last accomplished by Royce Pollard in 2011.

"I try not to count personal statistics when we lose," Gant said.

Still, the ending was a far cry from the way the day started for Gant, dropping the first pass thrown to him in the first quarter and two in the game.

"I just kinda laugh those off and move on to the next play," Gant said. "I try to forget it and focus on the next ball that is going to come my way."

Schroeder said, "He knows I’m always going to come back to him. Those (drops) are not gonna sway me. He’s a heckuva player and will get it the next time."

Gant got several, including his first touchdown, a 28-yard pass from Schroeder, giving UH its first halftime lead of the season at 17-13.

With UH trailing 36-30 with less than two minutes remaining in the game, Schroeder went to Gant on third down for 6 yards and a first down to get into UNLV territory.

Then he came back again.

As two defenders converged, Gant said, "I saw the ball in the air and I was just concentrating on making the catch for my team. But when I made the catch, I saw one of them overpursue and I split (the defenders). It was all like a big blur and I was in the end zone."

Schroeder said, "He’s a fifth-year senior and a leader on this team. And he showed it out there (Saturday) night."