The Auburn Tigers will be without one of their key offseason additions for yet another exhibition matchup this year, as on Tuesday, Nathan King of Auburn247 reported that Judge Jeffrey Tickal, who is presiding over Mantas Rubštavičius’ eligibility case, has ordered an extension on his decision.

This extension, reportedly, comes as a result of Rubštavičius’s lawyer, who asked for the extension in order to file some supplemental paperwork. Originally, the judge was scheduled to announce his decision before the Tigers’ preseason Iron Bowl matchup, but now, the case of Rubštavičius’ eligibility will have to wait until after. 

There are a few interesting wrinkles in Rubštavičius’ case. First, there is the matter of his age, as Rubštavičius is 24 years old and would be on the tail end of the NCAA’s new five-in-five rule, which states that an athlete has five years to play five seasons of a given sport, with the clock starting the season following an athlete’s 19th birthday.

It’s worth noting that this rule came into effect after the Lithuanian was signed, so there is an argument that he should have eligibility beyond the scope of that rule.

Additionally, there is the wrinkle of the €300,000 that Rubštavičius paid to his former professional team when he signed with the Tigers, as he was under the assumption he would be allowed to play.

"We are aware of the court filing made by Mantas Rubštavičius and have informed both the SEC and NCAA,” Auburn University said in a statement, back when Rubštavičius first sued for his eligibility. “Auburn supports Mantas' right to seek clarity regarding his eligibility through the legal process. Auburn also continues to fully support the SEC's recent rule on former professionals returning to college sports, which we do not believe is implicated in any way under Mantas' alleged facts.”

The Tigers struggled against Florida State without Rubštavičius, particularly down low, where new Auburn pieces Narcisse Ngoy and Bukky Oboye were, frankly, out-physicaled down low by freshman Florida State center Marcus Ponder, who totaled a whopping 23 rebounds throughout the game. 

Additionally, the Tigers only made 13 of their 42 three-point attempts, as Tahaad Pettiford, Kevin Overton and Adam Olsen were the only players to make multiple. Rubštavičius is known to excel from beyond the arc, so his addition could prove to be the difference in key matchups.

Auburn would certainly be helped by the talent and experience of the 6-foot-6 Lithuanian guard, who averaged 7.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists throughout the regular season, though he stepped up in the 2025 Euro Cup, averaging 12.5 points, 3.09 rebounds and 1.89 assists.

However, they’ll have to wait on Judge Tickal’s decision, which now does not have an exact date.

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