New action in Mantas Rubstavicius eligibility case could delay TRO decision

Judge Jeffrey Tickal of Lee County Circuit Court granted a motion for extension of time, filed by the attorney representing Mantas Rubstavicius, according to court documents obtained by the Montgomery Advertiser on Tuesday, Oct. 20, altering the timeline for the Auburn basketball's signee case against the NCAA.Rubstavicius is seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) and preliminary injunction, filing a motion for both last week. A preliminary hearing was held Friday, two days after Rubstavicius filed his motion, and Tickal did not deliver a ruling.Instead, he asked both attorneys to file briefs by Tuesday, saying he intended to rule on the TRO ahead of Thursday's exhibition game between Auburn and Alabama.Joshua J. Jackson of Samford & Denson, resprenting Rubstavicius, filed his motion for extension at 1:49 p.m. Tuesday, nearly two hours after the NCAA filed its 35-page response to the initial complaint. The extension gives Jackson until Friday to file his brief. Cason M. Kirby of Holland & Knight, representing the NCAA, has until Tuesday, Oct. 27, to file his response.REQUIRED READING: Mantas Rubstavicius TRO against NCAA still pending. When is a decision expected?"The Duel" exhibition between the Tigers are Crimson Tide is slated to tip off at 7 p.m. CT Thursday at Legacy Arena. Neither Jackson nor Kirby filed further paperwork Tuesday, according to court records. At last week's preliminary hearing, Tickal proposed a date for a hearing on Rubstavicus' request for a preliminary injunction, Nov. 4, which would be the same day as Auburn's season-opener against Southeastern Louisiana.The Lithuanian forward's legal action, "seeks judgement, declaratory relief and an order enjoining the NCAA from denying him the opportunity" to participate in the upcoming 2026-27 season, as Auburn had two requests and a final appeal for Rubstavicius' eligibility denied last month.Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.To support Adam's work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: New action in Mantas Rubstavicius eligibility case could delay TRO decision