Alabama HC Nate Oats breaks silence on Aden Holloway’s status before NCAA Tournament

Nate Oats is dealing with off-court events about Aden Holloway that will directly impact the Alabama Crimson Tide’s chances of making a deep run in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

Oats has been with the program since 2019, elevating them into serious national contender. He gifted them a Final Four appearance in 2024, looking to get them back to those heights.

However, his hopes of doing that took a big hit following Selection Sunday. Holloway, who stands out as the team’s second-leading scorer, is absent from the squad after police arrested him, per ESPN’s college sports insider Pete Thamel.

“Tuscaloosa County police spokesperson Stephanie Taylor said Holloway was arrested Monday morning after agents with the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force searched a residence near Alabama’s campus and “recovered more than a pound of marijuana, paraphernalia and cash,” Thamel wrote.

“Police said Holloway will be charged with first-degree possession of marijuana-not for personal use, which is a Class C felony, and failure to affix a tax stamp, also a felony. His bond was set at $5,000, and he was released from jail at 10:45 a.m. local time.”

Oats provided his thoughts on recent events during his weekly appearance on the ‘Hey Coach” radio show on Monday. He confirmed that Alabama is preparing for its upcoming tournament matchup without Holloway being in the fold.

“We’re preparing to play without him this weekend,” Oats said, via Thamel.

What lies ahead for Nate Oats, Alabama

Nate Oats understands how brutal it will be for Alabama to remain stable without Aden Holloway. However, everyone will have to step up on offense to give themselves a chance in the NCAA Tournament.

Alabama boasts a 23-9 overall record on the season, having gone 13-5 in its SEC matchups. They finished second in the conference standings but lost to Ole Miss for an early exit from the SEC Tournament.

The Crimson Tide will continue preparations for their time in the NCAA Tournament, being the 4-seed in the Midwest Region. They take on the Hofstra Pride in the first round on March 20 at 12:15 p.m. ET.

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