Heading into this week’s Sweet 16 action, the availability of certain players could mean the difference between advancing and going home.
Alabama and Michigan will face each other on Friday, as Dusty May and Nate Oats stand in the way of the other reaching the Elite Eight. The fate of their respective seasons hinges upon the health and availability of their players.
Could Aden Holloway Make a Surprise Return?
Earlier this month, Aden Holloway was arrested and charged with first-degree possession of marijuana and failure to affix a tax stamp, per the Tuscaloosa News. The junior was found with 2.1 pounds of marijuana. In Alabama, the weight borders on a drug trafficking charge. Before the arrest, Holloway was the Crimson Tide’s second-leading scorer (16.8 PPG).
While Holloway was removed from campus and missed Alabama’s March Madness games to this point, Friday morning featured a surprising development.
Holloway applied for and was granted permission to travel out of state by a Tuscaloosa district court judge on Friday morning, according to Matt Stahl of All Alabama. While Holloway is listed as out on the official injury report, this has ignited rumors that he’s linking up with his teammates and potentially returning in the Sweet 16.
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It remains to be seen whether this will be enough for Holloway to play for the Crimson Tide on Friday. Per the report, he would also need to be cleared by Alabama’s student conduct office.
To this point, Alabama hasn’t missed Holloway, as its 22.5-point margin of victory would attest. However, playing Michigan is a different beast.
Michigan’s Injury Issues Impact Depth
As for Michigan’s injury report, L.J. Cason is the biggest absence. One of the best backup point guards in the country, he tore his ACL on Feb. 27 in a game against Illinois. Cason played 28 games, averaging 8.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists.
Cason waited to undergo surgery. As a result, he elected to redshirt next season and is targeting a return during the 2027-28 season.
“It allows me to cherish the moment,” Cason said. “Let me reminisce on all the things we did. Vegas, Illinois, the Big Ten Championship. It’s just what we’ve done so far. It definitely allows me to sit and think about how great this team can be. We’ve got more work to do.”
“I think I just wanted to come back myself,” he added. “[Rushing could lead to] coming back not even as good as I am before I left. My goal is to come back way better than I came back now, physically, mentally, and all the rest.”
MARCH MADNESS: Fill In Your Bracket Now!
Michigan is also without guard Winters Grady, a highly touted incoming freshman. Grady, a reserve, played 9 games, averaging 2.9 points on 35% shooting. He served a bench role, playing 5.5 minutes per night.
A month ago, Grady took a medical redshirt with a lingering foot issue. While that may not seem like a profound loss, depth matters in the NCAA Tournament.
The Wolverines’ starting frontcourt of Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson Jr. combine for a listed average height of 6-foot-11 while ranking in the top-25 in both rebounds per game (39.9) and blocks (6.0).
