Virginia Tech starter Ty Outlaw will be in uniform and is expected to play on Friday night as the No. 4 seed Hokies face No. 1 overall seed Duke in the Sweet 16 despite being charged with marijuana possession last week, only a day before they played in their first round game against Saint Louis. 

Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams released a statement on the incident Thursday acknowledging the disturbance, but said Outlaw was issued a drug test and passed. Therefore, will be a full participant against the No. 1 overall seed Blue Devils on Friday.

"I appreciate that there are questions related to Ty Outlaw and his status," said Williams. "Ty has given me permission to share this information. The disturbance that led to the search warrant occurred while Ty and our team were in California last week. While Ty and our team were still in California, the authorities executed the search. Upon our return to Blacksburg on Monday evening, Ty became aware of the situation and was fully cooperative and transparent with local authorities and me.

"After gathering more information, we decided that an outside agency should perform a drug test on Ty prior to us departing campus on Wednesday and that test came back negative. After discussion with our Director of Athletics Whit Babcock and our athletics administration in accordance with our policies and procedures, we are following our departmental protocol involving misdemeanors. 

"With that information in mind we intend to play Ty on Friday evening. We will continue to let the process play out and that's all I can say at this time. If information changes we will respond appropriately according to our policies."

Outlaw, a sixth-year senior for the Hokies, has started in 19 of the team's 34 games this season, averaging 8.7 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per contest. He scored seven points and grabbed seven rebounds in Virginia Tech's first round win over Saint Louis, and followed it up Sunday with his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 boards. 

Virginia Tech faces Duke on Friday in Washington, D.C. at 9:39 p.m. ET.