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Sophomore guard Alvin Ellis III could return to lineup for men's basketball on Wednesday against Notre Dame

December 2, 2014
	<p>Head coach Tom Izzo has a word with freshman guard Alvin Ellis <span class="caps">III</span> during the game against Mount St. Mary&#8217;s on Nov. 29, 2013, at Breslin Center. The Spartans defeated the Mountaineers, 98-65. Khoa Nguyen/The State News</p>

Head coach Tom Izzo has a word with freshman guard Alvin Ellis III during the game against Mount St. Mary’s on Nov. 29, 2013, at Breslin Center. The Spartans defeated the Mountaineers, 98-65. Khoa Nguyen/The State News

Photo by Khoa Nguyen | The State News

Injuries to wing players have limited MSU's rotation in the early portion of the season, but one player could return to the lineup as soon as Wednesday.

Sophomore guard Alvin Ellis III, who sprained his ankle in the opener against Navy, practiced on Monday and will likely see playing time in the ACC/Big Ten challenge on Wednesday, in which No. 19 MSU will take on Notre Dame. Head coach Tom Izzo said Ellis is about 90 percent healthy and was "shocked" at how much Ellis was able to do in practice on Monday.

Another player in the depleted guard rotation could also return in the near future. Freshman guard Javon Bess, who has yet to play this season after having surgery on his right foot Oct. 28, had his boot removed on Sunday.

"I'm hoping we can use (Ellis) if we have to, but it'll be minimal use because we get through this week and now we have a week off, and I think we'd be in business for both guys," Izzo said. "But I was surprised how much (Ellis) did today, to be honest."

Bess was a potential starter before surgery, and his return will be good news for senior guard Travis Trice and junior guard Denzel Valentine, who have picked up much of the slack following the injuries. 

"The X-ray's also great and now (Bess) has a couple weeks of doing a little bit more each day and seeing how it responds to that," Izzo said. "Coming off of finals week, I think Alvin should be 90 percent by then. (Bess) is going to be a little while longer. I think he'll be practicing by then." 

Trice sat out of practice on Monday to recover from a minute-heavy road trip. 

Senior forward Branden Dawson, who is recovering from the flu, ran a temperature of 103 degrees last week, helping explain his performance against Kansas Sunday. 

"It's been a frustrating situation for him, for us, because if he does the things I know he can do, I say we win that game," Izzo said.

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