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UMBC loses reigning America East Rookie of the Year to shoulder injury

UMBC v Towson

UMBC v Towson

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The start of the 2014-15 season has been a tough one for the UMBC Retrievers, as they’ve dropped all six games with five of the defeats being by double-digit margins. One key reason for the struggles has been the health of sophomore guard Rodney Elliott, who last season was the best freshman in America East. Due to a shoulder injury Elliott, who averaged 15.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game last season, has played in just one game for the Retrievers in 2014-15.

Thursday it was announced by the program that the injury, a torn labrum in his left shoulder suffered in the team’s season-opening loss to Akron, requires surgery that will rule Elliott out for the remainder of the season.

“As it dragged on and he saw more and more doctors, we started to prepare for the worst, and it turns out the worst is here, and he had to have surgery,” UMBC head coach Aki Thomas said according to the Baltimore Sun. “So he’ll redshirt this year, and we’ll get him back next year.”

Elliott will be one of two players who will apply for a medical redshirt, with freshman forward Lamell Washington being the other. Washington underwent surgery on his knee last month.

Aaron Morgan (6.5 ppg, 1.5 apg), who moved into the starting lineup as a result of Elliott’s injury, will be one of the guards UMBC leans on for the remainder of the season with senior Wayne Sparrow (11.7 ppg) and freshman Jourdan Grant (7.8, 4.3 rpg, 3.5 apg) being the others.

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