After missing six games with an ankle injury suffered in the opening minutes of the season, Michigan State sophomore guard Alvin Ellis III will return to the lineup on Wednesday during the Spartans’ ACC/Big Ten Challenge game against Notre Dame.
Ellis told reporters on Tuesday that he would be playing in the game, as he practiced Monday for the first time since injuring the ankle in a Nov. 14 win over Navy to open the season. Since then, the Spartans could have used the slashing ability and athleticism of the 6-foot-4 guard.
“I’ll be able to play, I’ll be able to play Wednesday,” Ellis said to reporters, including Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free Press.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo was reportedly “shocked” by the progress Ellis has made since the weekend.
“We’ve got to really see now tomorrow,” Izzo said of Ellis to reporters. “But I’m hoping we can use him if we have to, but it’ll be minimum use. Because we get through this week, now we’ve got a week off, and then I think we’d really be in business for both guys.”
While Ellis wasn’t a major contributor for Michigan State during his freshman season, he was expected to play many more minutes alongside seniors Travis Trice and Branden Dawson this season. The Spartans have been banged up in the early season and getting any player back will help with their rotational depth.