Sophomore forward Cody Ellis sustained a right shoulder dislocation against Xavier that sidelined him against La Salle on Wednesday, Feb.10 and will keep him on the bench against Richmond.

According to head coach Rick Majerus, Ellis’ status remains game-to-game.

A MRI taken on Feb. 9 revealed muscle tear in the rotator cuff but no other serious structure damage, according to Ellis. Because shoulder injuries can be difficult to rehabilitate, Ellis was cautious in speculating when he would return.

“It’d be good to get back if there’s any games left,” he said. “I don’t know if there will be a point for me to play. I’m hoping to get back. Time will tell.”

While Ellis is just SLU’s sixth-leading scorer, he’s the team’s second-leading rebounder, averaging 3.7 a game, a fraction better than Brian Conklin.

His absence also means more floor time for freshmen Rob Loe and Dwayne Evans.

This isn’t Ellis’ first bout of bad luck. His arrival to SLU was delayed a semester after the NCAA refused to accept some of his Australian prep classes.

He also burnt his hand over the summer break and was sidelined by mononucleosis earlier this season.

Ellis says he is trying to take the latest incident in stride. “You’ve got to look at it positively. There is no point in saying ‘poor me’. You have to keep a positive attitude,” he said.