As the lei piled higher and the applause and tributes poured on his players last night, you wondered what University of Hawai'i men's basketball coach Riley Wallace was thinking behind those unblinking green eyes and tight jaw.

Pride, to be sure, for the way his injury depleted team fought to the bitter end of a 51-48 regular-season concluding loss to Louisiana Tech.

But what of the bigger picture and Wallace's own looming central place in it? What of his own approaching senior night, now just 12 months hence?

After 19 seasons as the 'Bows' head coach — and a quarter-century at UH overall — the next time Wallace likely sets foot on the Stan Sheriff Center court it will be as a 65-year-old beginning the countdown of his 20th — and final — year at UH.

With a contract that unequivocally spells the end — "specifically the term of this agreement will not be extended or renewed" — the next group of seniors to bow out — Matt Lojeski, Ahmet Gueye, John Wilder, etc. — will be taking their coach with them.

"I don't like to think about that kind of stuff," Wallace maintains. "I'm a pretty emotional kind of guy. I shy away from stuff like that."

Yet, as he looked around the remnants of the mostly white-clad crowd of 7,978, it can't have escaped Wallace that just as the accomplishments of four seniors were read over the public-address system last night, the time for detailing his considerable legacy is fast approaching. After 567 games (316-251) at UH, precious few remain for its winningest men's coach.

Amid one of his best coaching jobs, guiding the 17-10 'Bows to second place in the Western Athletic Conference until they just plain ran out of bodies with the season-ending knee injury to Gueye and dropping into a tie for fourth place, Wallace has whatever this postseason holds and one more to complete his mark.

A regular season that began with so much promise with an 84-62 upset of Michigan State in November ended last night with three players who contributed 31 points in it — Bobby Nash, "Little Matt" Gibson and Gueye — all on the bench in street clothes.

The man who brought consistency to the program and saw the 'Bows back to the postseason and out from under the enduring shadow of NCAA penalties will be handing over all he built to someone else.

That much is for sure, mandated in the 17-page contract approved by the Board of Regents in July, that says, "the university will not negotiate a new contract with coach."

But who it will be is the question that looms larger every game now. Wallace has already begun publicly stumping for associate coach Bob Nash, who has been at his side all 25 years but acknowledges he will have little say in the matter. "I will endorse him and then step aside and that will be their (the administration's) call," Wallace said.

There has been speculation that Wallace might bow out at the start of next season to position Nash as interim and allow him to make his case. "Well, that wouldn't be nice to say right now," Wallace said. "I have a contract for one more year."

As for his own coaching future beyond 2007, Wallace said he received sage advice from former North Carolina coach Dean Smith a while back. "He told me, 'don't ever make a decision on your basketball life at the end of the season,' " Wallace said. "If, at the end of the summer (of 2007), I'm still pumped and still want to go and there's some program I could help, then, maybe."

Last night, as four seniors were given a sendoff, we can only imagine what was running through the mind of one who is now on deck, Robert Riley Wallace.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.