As Siena College’s men’s basketball team prepares for its MAAC Tournament opener Thursday night, it is forced to replace one of its top starters.

The Saints announced that forward Anthony Gaines will be out for the remainder of the season after he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. The injury happened in Siena’s loss to Canisius on Saturday.

Gaines, a third-team all-MAAC selection, was third on the team in scoring, averaging 10.9 points per game. He is also the Saints’ leading rebounder.

Gaines, a Kingston native, is a graduate student, having played four years at Northwestern before transferring to Siena with eligibility remaining after losing much of his junior year with the Wildcats to injury.

Siena coach Carmen Maciariello said Tuesday that the team will maintain a “next man up” mentality in the wake of Gaines’ injury.

The Saints are the No. 3 seed in the MAAC tourney, having earned a first-round bye, and will face Quinnipiac in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Thursday in Atlantic City, N.J.