The Dwain train has derailed once more.

Hawaii guard Dwain Williams is suspended again—this time, indefinitely—for a violation of team rules. And discord between the transfer from Providence and UH coach Bob Nash could prevent the situation from resolving anytime soon.

“;I can't discuss the reasons why he's being suspended. Those are personal issues that I'm not at liberty to discuss,”; Nash said yesterday. “;It's an indefinite suspension. It could be any length of time.”;

Williams said he was suspended for missing a Samoan language class on Wednesday. He was incredulous over the punishment because he claimed he wasn't the only one on the team to miss the class. But after eight missed games—including two on another team suspension in the fall and the last five of January for personal reasons—it was another hammer stroke to wedge him farther from the team.

Nash declined to respond to Williams' belief that he was being singled out.

“;This is a matter that has some sensitivity to it,”; Nash said. “;I'm not at liberty to discuss those matters with anyone other than Dwain and his family.”;

Williams hasn't been kicked off the team, however, and thought things could be repaired.

“;I want to play. I don't want the fans to think I'm just doing some outlandish things to not play,”; he said. “;I want to play, and I enjoy playing here. I just really ... I don't know, it's killing me not to play. I really am taking care of my business in the classroom, despite missing my Samoan class yesterday morning.”;

How the Rainbow Warriors (9-13, 2-7 Western Athletic Conference) respond tomorrow against Fresno State (11-12, 4-5) could decide whether they remain mired in the WAC basement next to Boise State and Idaho, or rally to make it to the WAC tournament in March. It's one of just three remaining WAC home games, along with Utah State and Nevada.

The last-place team through 16 league games doesn't qualify for the trip to Reno, Nev., meaning UH has seven games left to make a stand. But without Williams, a 14.0 points-per-game scorer and UH's best 3-point shooter (31 made in 14 games), the road to avoid instant elimination has been tough.

Granted, the Rainbows haven't enjoyed the junior's services for some time; Williams hasn't played since Jan. 11 at Utah State. His cousin's death caused him to miss the last five games, during which UH went 1-4 and absorbed three close losses.

“;Well, we have no choice (but to step up the shooting),”; senior forward Petras Balocka said. “;It's either that or keep losing games. Of course we'll have to step up to try to get points any possible way. Shooting or getting to the basket or whatever the case may be. Of course we're going to miss his 3-point shooting because the guy could flat-out shoot. ... We gotta play and just keep moving on.”;

Point guards Hiram Thompson and Jeremy Lay shouldered nearly all the backcourt time with Williams gone, though sophomore walk-on Leroy Lutu Jr. got 17 crunch-time minutes in last week's loss at Nevada. Reps have been plentiful in particular for Lutu this week, as Thompson is day-to-day with a dislocated shoulder and Lay was ill until yesterday.

“;With all the things that have happened, guys have to step up,”; assistant coach Eran Ganot said. “;Brandon (Adams) was counted out, now he's starting to come along. Hopefully we'll have another guy emerge, and the guys who have played well continue to play well. I think in terms of the backcourt, we got a lot of good, solid minutes out of Leroy in the last game.”;

Williams was supposed to be back in the fold, too. He rejoined the team this week in high spirits, practicing Tuesday and Wednesday. But it didn't take long for things to run afoul again as Williams was still on rocky terms with Nash.

Nash would not confirm the missed class as the only reason or one of several reasons behind the suspension.

“;I can't discuss the reasons why he's being suspended,”; Nash said. “;Those are personal issues that I'm not at liberty to discuss.”;

In late November following UH's loss to BYU, Williams missed a practice. He was suspended two games for what he called “;miscommunication with the coaches.”;

No matter what happens, Hawaii is the last stop in Williams' Division I basketball career. If he elected to play elsewhere next year, it'd have to be at a D-II school or lower.