Eli Ellis Leaves Gamecocks, NCAA Transfer Portal Opens

0:00On March 23rd, South Carolina Gamecocks guard Eli Ellis is the first player leaving the program this offseason. After one season, he's entering the NCAA transfer portal. Ellis put up 8.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2 assists per game while shooting under 4-10 from the field and the arc. A four-star recruit from North Carolina, Ellis played in 28 games, but never started. He joined a squad that leaned on the portal last year to rebuild, though it didn't pan out. The gamecocks wrapped up another tough year at 13 wins and 19 losses overall, going just 4-14 in conference play. That marked their second straight miss on the NCAA tournament after making it three years back. Head coach Lamont Paris is returning, but big roster shakeups loom ahead. Ellis leads the way out the door, with others likely to follow soon. The portal opens April 7th right after the title game and shuts April 21st. South Carolina will need smart moves there to reload and chase contention next season.