Emarion Ellis sat out this season for Marquette after knee surgery. Now he is in the NCAA transfer portal.
The Marquette men's basketball team needed to free up at least one roster spot before next season.
The Golden Eagles' roster crunch was eased on Monday when sophomore guard Emarion Ellis entered the NCAA transfer portal.
The 6-foot-5 Ellis originally committed to Shaka Smart at Texas but then followed the head coach when he took over at MU. He only played in 14 games as a freshman, but the coaching staff remained very bullish on his future because of his strong frame and athletic skills.
But Ellis underwent surgery for a stress fracture in his knee last summer and sat out this season with the expectation he would apply for a redshirt.
With Ellis in the portal and graduate transfer Zach Wrightsil out of eligibility unless he applies for a medical redshirt after playing in only three games, MU is projected to be at the NCAA limit of 13 scholarships for next season.
The Golden Eagles have three incoming freshmen, including guards Tre Norman and Zaide Lowery. With returning backcourt players Tyler Kolek, Kam Jones, Stevie Mitchell, Sean Jones and Chase Ross, there didn't seem to be a path to playing time for Ellis.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Marquette sophomre guard Emarion Ellis enters NCAA transfer portal
