The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team has had its share of injuries this season, but this one hurt the most.

Ahmet Gueye, the team's starting center, was on the bench, on crutches last night while the Rainbow Warriors lost to Louisiana Tech, 51-48.

Gueye, a 6-foot-7 junior, tore both the anterior cruciate ligament and the medial collateral ligament in his right knee during Friday's practice. He will miss the rest of the season, and will need five to six months of recovery and rehabilitation.

"The worst feeling ever was just sitting on the bench and watching the team lose," Gueye said. "I couldn't do anything to help them."

And the 'Bows could have used Gueye last night.

He leads the team in rebounding with 7.7 per game, and leads the WAC with 65 blocked shots. He was supposed to defend LaTech star forward Paul Millsap.

"I was really looking forward to it," Gueye said. "That's why it was so hard for me to smile and stay positive for my team."

Millsap dominated the low post with 20 points, 23 rebounds and five blocked shots.

"It made a difference," LaTech head coach Keith Richard said of Gueye's absence. "But that's part of the game."

Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said Gueye's 12.2 points per game were also missed.

"He gives the inside in our inside-outside offense," Wallace said. "Without him, we had no inside."

Without Gueye, the 'Bows will take only nine players to the WAC Tournament in Reno, Nev.

"It becomes a practice problem, too," Wallace said. "We can't even do five-on-five anymore."

What's more, the 'Bows have no forwards or centers available in reserve. Chris Botez is now the starting center, and Julian Sensley and Matthew Gipson are the starting forwards. All the reserve players are guards.

"We just have to hope we don't get into foul trouble," Wallace said.

Hawai'i guards Bobby Nash (shoulder) and Matt Gibson (staph infection) were previously lost for the season because of injuries. Also, reserve center Milos Zivanovic quit in December.

"This one (to Gueye) is the toughest because he's a starter," Wallace said. "Until now, we had our starting group the whole year that we could rely on."