CENTER GADZURIC OUT FOR THE SEASON.

Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer

UCLA freshman center Dan Gadzuric underwent knee surgery Thursday and will miss the remainder of the season, leaving the Bruins without a man in the middle for the second straight postseason.

Last year, after Jelani McCoy's mid-February departure, forward J.R. Henderson shifted to center as the uneasy vanguard of a makeshift frontline.

Now, without the 6-foot-10, 245-pound Gadzuric, hobbling forward Jerome Moiso, walk-on Sean Farnham and two reserves, Travis Reed and Matt Barnes, must defend the Bruins' underbelly.

``One advantage of the last two years and going through so many changes and (personnel) losses is, as a coach, you're almost immune to losing players,'' Bruins coach Steve Lavin said.

Gadzuric, from Den Haag, Holland, landed awkwardly on his left knee Wednesday in practice and had an MRI exam that evening. Outpatient surgery Thursday confirmed torn cartilage, which requires a six-week recovery period before rehabilitation begins.

Slowed by tendinitis in his knees throughout the season, Gadzuric played one of his best games last weekend against Syracuse with 12 points and nine rebounds. For the season, he was averaged 8.6 points and 5.7 rebounds and shot 54 percent from the field.

As the Bruins' only true center and their most physical big man, he was central to their success in the NCAA Tournament. His minutes will be diverted to Reed and Barnes, who combine for 9.5 points and six rebounds per game. They'll need help, especially against Washington center Todd MacCulloch on Saturday and whichever behemoths the Bruins face in March.

``Collectively, we'll have to find a way to compensate for not having Dan on the boards,'' Lavin said. ``Defensively, we'll have to have an awareness about helping in the post, like we did (in the NCAAs last year) against (Michigan's) Tractor Traylor.''

Gadzuric's absence probably solidifies Farnham's spot in the rotation. Farnham, a junior, started his third consecutive game Thursday against Washington State and gives the Bruins steady play at power forward. While his offensive skills are limited, Farnham rarely makes mistakes and plays with high energy.

``The nice thing is that Sean has already gotten his feet wet,'' Lavin said. ``He's been contributing anyway, so we're not throwing him into the fire.''

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