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Syracuse's Dajuan Coleman will miss the rest of the season.

(Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com)

Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse sophomore center Dajuan Coleman needs surgery to repair a leg injury and will miss the rest of the Orange season.

Coleman has not played since the second half of the Virginia Tech game on Jan. 7. SU's athletic staff has been treating the injury, but it has not responded. Coleman is still unable to move or jump without pain.

"This is a tremendous disappointment, especially considering the amount of hard work Dajuan has been putting in with our basketball team," said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. "We will certainly miss his contributions."

The 6-foot-9 forward/center was at the Melo Center Monday, working in the trainer's room and in the weight room.

This is the second straight year that injuries have damaged Coleman's season. Last year, he missed games with an meniscus issue.

Coleman played in 13 games this season, averaging 4.3 points and 4.2 rebounds. He started the first 12 games of the season for the Orange but missed the second half of the game against Villanova on Dec. 28 with pain in his knee.

The center from Jamesville-DeWitt missed the next two games before playing the final 3 minutes, 27 seconds at Virginia Tech.

After the game Coleman said he was feeling better.

"It feels a lot better," he said at the time. "It's getting better every day."

However, Coleman did not play in the Orange's next three games against North Carolina, Boston College and Pittsburgh.