Hawaii basketball senior center Vander Joaquim is expected to miss four to six weeks of team activities while he recovers from a torn MCL in his right knee.

The 6-foot-10, 245-pound Joaquim was injured when a teammate rolled into his leg during a preseason workout, UH coach Gib Arnold said. A diagnosis was reached after an MRI on the knee Thursday morning.

If his rehab goes well, Joaquim could return in time for the team’s Nov. 9 regular-season opener against Maryland-Eastern Shore.

"We’re hoping for that," Arnold said. "It’s an MCL, so no surgery necessary. It’s not as bad as an ACL. Some guys get back as early as three weeks."

What’s sure is he’ll be out past the Oct. 12 start of full practices. Joaquim was the only returning Rainbow Warrior with a solid hold on a starting position going back to the 2011-12 season, when he was named first-team All-Western Athletic Conference and WAC All-Defensive team. He averaged 14.3 points and 9.5 rebounds as a junior.

Now, backup center Davis Rozitis and freshmen big men Isaac Fotu and Caleb Dressler will have expanded roles until Joaquim returns.

"It’s something you just deal with," Arnold said. "It’s part of a team, guys are working hard, you got big bodies down there. It’s unfortunate, you never want it to happen."