Alabama guard Aden Holloway, who was arrested on felony drug charges, was granted permission by a judge to leave the state on Friday as his team prepares to face Michigan in the Sweet 16 in Chicago.
It’s unclear whether the travel permission opens the door for Holloway to play in the NCAA Tournament game that is scheduled to tip off at 7:35 p.m. Eastern. Alabama listed Holloway as out on the availability report given to the NCAA on Thursday. That report is allowed to be amended up to two hours before the game.
The university removed him from campus last week “pending further investigation by the UA Office of Student Conduct.”
Holloway, Alabama’s No. 2 scorer, was arrested March 16 after authorities found 2.1 pounds of marijuana in his apartment. He was suspended indefinitely following the arrest, but coach Nate Oats has not ruled out the possibility of his return in the NCAA Tournament.
Holloway’s attorney, Jason Neff, had requested his client be allowed to travel “on a trip out of the state” — without specifying where — departing Friday and returning Tuesday. Tuscaloosa County District Court Judge Joanne Jannik approved that travel Friday morning, according to court documents.
If Alabama were to win Friday night, it would play in the Elite Eight on Sunday.
Additionally, Holloway’s sister, Mila Holloway, is set to play for Michigan in the women’s Sweet 16 on Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas, and could be playing in an Elite Eight game there on Monday.
Among the charges Aden Holloway faces is a count of first-degree marijuana possession, not for personal use, which is a Class C felony and carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $15,000. The amount of marijuana authorities said they found was just below the 2.2-pound threshold for a drug trafficking charge.
Neff has said there is no proof his client was selling the drugs.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
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