Hawaii shouldn’t have had to work overtime Monday night. But when it became necessary, the Rainbow Warriors finally answered the call.

After UH gave up a late double-digit lead — Troy forward Jordon Varnado stunned the Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 2,730 with a deep 3 to send the game to extras — the Rainbow Warriors made the plays required in the extra period to escape with a 72-67 victory.

“When you get hit with something like that to end regulation, it shows great poise when your team bounces back and dominates the overtime period,” UH coach Eran Ganot said.

It was the second season-opening Outrigger Resorts Rainbow Classic title in three years for UH (3-0), which fended off an opponent’s late run for the second straight night.

With 19.2 seconds left in OT, forward Jack Purchase helped secure the victory by pouncing on a loose ball and forcing a jump, with the arrow pointing to the ’Bows. Sheriff Drammeh put UH up five with a couple of free throws and Varnado and Kevin Baker were off on desperation 3s.

“That’s a big play. That’s a winning play,” Drammeh said of Purchase, who made up for a turnover by the Swedish guard at the end of the shot clock on the previous play. “That’s building championship habits.”

Added guard Brocke Stepteau: “That’s as big a play as there was in the game.”

The ’Bows saw a 22-point lead trimmed to one in an 81-78 win over North Dakota on Sunday. This time, it was a 15-point lead squandered.

Still, they picked up their 15th Rainbow Classic title overall, and sixth in eight years since the format shifted to a season-opening four-team round-robin event.

Mike Thomas, despite scoring just eight points on 3-for-11 shooting on the final day, was named the tournament’s most outstanding player. UH bigs Purchase and Gibson Johnson scored 12 points apiece and were also named to the all-tourney team.

Troy (1-2) of the Sun Belt kept belting UH with backcourt pressure to get back into the game, including a forced 10-second turnover. UH, which appeared rattled by the pressure, countered by going to a three-guard lineup.

Drammeh (15 points, five rebounds, five assists) and Stepteau (10 points, three assists) bolstered the ’Bows off the bench.

“What they did with their press was a little different from what we practiced,” Stepteau said. “It’s definitely something we gotta work on, our press break.”

Ganot pointed out: “When we lost our cool in each of the three games, you can point to the insertion of Brocke Stepteau to settle us down.”

UH trailed early, recovered to take an eight-point halftime lead and led 61-50 with 5:07 left. The Trojans erased that with a 12-1 run, spurred by the effective backcourt pressure and aided by missed UH free throws. UH was 16-for-25 for the game. Freshman point guard Drew Buggs went 1-for-3, including a missed front end of a 1-and-1, in the final moments of regulation to leave the door open for Troy.

Varnado’s 24-foot 3-pointer tied it up with three seconds left and Stepteau could not answer from inside halfcourt. Varnado finished with 25 points on 9-for-21 shooting. Guard Wesley Person added 16 for Troy, but on 4-for-15 shooting (4-for-13 on 3s). Person hit consecutive 3s to launch the Trojans’ second-half run.

After the teams exchanged several misses in OT, Stepteau hit the first bucket, a splashed 3 for a 65-62 lead.

Varnado scored on a drive, answered by an inside bucket from Thomas set up by Purchase.

UH opened up a five-point lead on a Stepteau steal and two Drammeh free throws. Troy got back within three at the line, but no closer.

Freshman wing Samuta Avea, who played 12 minutes in Friday’s opener, did not play for the second straight game.

“He wasn’t the only guy who didn’t play,” said Ganot, noting center Ido Flaisher also sat Monday. “I think those guys are fine. I think we have some good players playing behind some good players.”

In the early game, North Dakota defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 80-71. North Dakota is 2-1 and Arkansas-Pine Bluff is 0-3.