FILE - MSU senior forward Wendell Lewis has been sidelined with a fractured right patella he suffered on Wednesday at practice during non-contact drills. He will undergo surgery Monday and team officials say he is likely to be out for at least eight weeks. Photo by: Mississippi State athletics

STARKVILLE - The injury news just keeps on coming with the Mississippi State University men's basketball team.  

MSU senior forward Wendell Lewis has been sidelined with a fractured right patella he suffered on Wednesday at practice during non-contact drills. He will undergo surgery Monday and team officials say he is likely to be out for at least eight weeks. 

The Selma, Ala., has played in all eight of the Bulldogs' game this season as the team's only senior on the roster and had just earned his starting center spot back with 16 points at Providence and a career-high 20 points versus Texas-San Antonio. Lewis is currently tied for fourth on the team in scoring with his 8.1 clip, while his 4.9 rebounds are third highest. His absence puts freshman Starkville native Gavin Ware back in the starting lineup and may be forced to play over 30 minutes now with the lack of depth in the frontcourt. 

Lewis is the fourth MSU player to suffer a major injury this season and fifth MSU player to miss at least one game due to a practice injury. Ware is currently averaging 7.5 points and 6.6 rebounds this season.  

Prior to the start of the year, the Bulldogs lost freshmen guards Jacoby Davis and DeAndre Applewhite with torn ACLs, while junior guard and leading returning scorer Jalen Steele fractured his wrist in the second game against Florida Atlantic. Sophomore forward Roquez Johnson also missed the season opener at Troy University after suffering a major concussions days before the start of the 2012-13 season.  

As a result of these injuries, MSU (3-5) travels to the University of Loyola at Chicago (6-3) on Saturday with just six scholarship players - a similar number to when they traveled to the EA Sports Maui Invitational after junior forward Colin Borchert's suspension.  

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