Marquette coach thinks Kolek returns this season
MILWAUKEE– Marquette coach Shaka Smart is optimistic that Tyler Kolek’s oblique injury won’t knock the 2022-23 Big East player of the year out for the remainder of the season.Smart acknowledged Tuesday that”barring a miracle,”Kolek won’t play in the eighth-ranked Golden Eagles’2 regular-season games Wednesday versus No. 2 UConn(26-3, 16-2 Big East)and Saturday at Xavier(15-14, 9-9). Marquette (22-7, 13-5) had revealed Monday that the 6-foot-3 guard would not be readily available for those games and would be reevaluated before next week’s Big East tournament in New york city.” We feel very positive that he will have the ability to play at some point soon,”Smart stated Tuesday.Kolek suffered the injury throughout a 91-69 success over Providence on Wednesday.
Smart stated after the game that Kolek informed him he made a pass, twisted his body and felt it. He left the game early in the second half, returned quickly and then left again for good.The injury caused Kolek to miss out on Marquette’s 89-75 loss at No. 10 Creighton on Saturday.
Smart stated Tuesday there’s a”distinct possibility “that Kolek could return for Marquette’s Big East tournament opener on March 14.” I make sure he most likely doesn’t totally interact just how much it eats him up,”Smart said.
“He’s a guy that, it’s hard for him to go a matter of hours without going back to the health club and dealing with his game. So to go days in a row where he can’t truly do much is a difficulty. “However at the same time, he explained in words to me that it’s good that each day he’s able to do a little bit more. He was on the bike yesterday. He raised weights today. So he’s making progress towards returning, which is awesome. “Kolek averages 7.6 assists to lead all Division I players, and he also averages 15 points and 4.7 rebounds. That follows a 2022-23 season in which Kolek was an Associated Press All-America third-team selection while assisting Marquette win the Big East’s regular-season and competition titles.Smart likewise indicated Oso Ighodaro need to be available for Wednesday’s game with UConn after a disease avoided him from dipping into Creighton. Ighodaro averages a team-high 7.3 rebounds and is the Golden Eagles’third-leading scorer, balancing 14 points.”He’s feeling better, “Smart said. “He had an actually tough influenza bug and actually wasn’t able to leave the hotel when we got on the bus to go to the Creighton game.
But he’s doing far better. He practiced yesterday.”Chase Ross, who averages 6.5 points and 20.9 minutes, bet Creighton but also wasn’t feeling well that day. Smart said Ross didn’t practice Monday but is expected to practice Tuesday.