Kolek Update

[Scoop Snoop]

Providence did beat us by 2 in the second half.

So often, a team with a huge lead at halftime will trade points with their opponent in the second half. In the second half, Kolek was out for quite a while and Shaka, like any coach with a fat lead, was able to give PT to players who might see far less if the game was still competitive. Clearing the bench typically gives away part of a lead. We could have won the game by 30 with a healthy Kolek in and no bench clearing. I do not take an opponent's outscoring us by 2 seriously in a scenario like the PC game.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Without TK Chase will probably start. I know its hard to tell because the game was well in hand but Providence did beat us by 2 in the second half. I guess will see how Big East ready Tre and Zaide are. So who will run point without TK?

I think we'll see more point Oso on Saturday.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Pretty likely we've seen Kolek play his last Marquette game already

Per Dung Willie?

I'm alarmed that I can't tell whether you're serious or not in this instance.

[HowardsWorld]

Pretty likely we've seen Kolek play his last Marquette game already

Not a chance in hell that was his last game for Marquette. Even if he doesn't play till the NCAA tournament they can win game 1 without him. Hell they should win game 2 without him as well. He is the type of player that will take a cortisone shot just to get out there any play. If they lose he has all summer to heal.

[MUMountin]

I think we'll see more point Oso on Saturday.

They'll continue to do what they've done all year—a combo of players will play point.  Even with TK in, any of Stevie, Kam, Oso, and Chase will frequently bring the ball up and initiate.  Mix in some more Tre, who is hopefully maturing at just the right moment, and we'll be ok. 

Offense is going to suffer some, but shouldn't fall off a cliff.  My hope is that they can keep the defensive effort even higher while TK is out.  If so, I think 2 or 3 wins is still more than doable. 

[Uncle Rico]

Per Dung Willie?

I'm alarmed that I can't tell whether you're serious or not in this instance.

My sources tell me he has 4-6 weeks to live

[tower912]

With the exception of Amadou and Lowery, every player has brought the ball up and started the offense this season.    I want TKo back and think his presence/absence could be the difference against Creighton and UConn. Because those two teams are really freaking good.   And MU might not have won WITH him.   
    MU without him is good enough to beat a lot of other teams.

Heal quickly, young man.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

My sources tell me he has 4-6 weeks to live

So you were being serious.  I guess the obliquectomy didn't work.  Tragic.

If I were Tre I'd enter the portal today after what's happened to TKO and Sean (RIP). 

[MU82]

As a long time lurker (not to be mistaken with a long time slurper) and new-ish poster, I will say that I've generally enjoyed your posts.  But, come on.  We've both read enough boilerplate throughout the years to surmise that this situation isn't great.

Could Tyler be healthy two months from now?  With this injury, sure, maybe.  But he needs to be healthy three weeks from now, and that's the problem.  Come tourney time, I think it will be a Dom James situation of, "Have pulse, will play."  Tyler is that kind of competitor.  But that doesn't mean he'll be effective in the game.

It's just really, really bad luck.  But I hope I'm wrong.

First, thanks for the kind words.

Second, I agree the situation isn't great. Great would be "everybody's 100% healthy, let's effen go!" Kolek is clearly hurting, and he's our leader, and that sucks.

Still, even the one Scooper who says he has sources close to the team said:

TKo "will be limited, might be out for a while" is what I'm hearing.

Then again he was a dead man walking after the ankle injury and scored 500 against Illinois. But just reporting what I was just told a few min ago.

So even that Scooper left room for optimism. And literally everything else here is speculation.

As for if we have to play without Kolek ...

I do think we can win some games. Looking hard for a little sunshine to peek through the dark clouds, having Ross in the lineup rather than TK should improve the defense. Ross has been playing well and shooting very well. Kam has been on fire. Stevie has been great offensively. Having a 5 who can do what Oso does can help mitigate the absence of a PG some. We've gotten some good minutes from Norman and Lowery. We can go with an Oso/Gold combo for longer, which could help against taller teams.

But beating the likes of Creighton (in Omaha) and UConn (anywhere) without our All-American PG is a tall task. As would be winning any NCAAT game in the 2nd round or later. And, simply stated, we cannot win the national title without TK being darn close to fully healthy, and that's all this season has been about for me.

Of course, that's all speculation, too, and it's a big part of what a fan board is about. And like everybody here I am concerned about TK's status. But I'm an optimist by nature, so until we have something more concrete, I'm not gonna freak out.

[tower912]

At some point, Willis Reed will be referenced.   Remember, he scored 4 points and had 3 rebounds in his heroic return.

[muwarrior69]

Ben Steele:

What is the latest update from Shaka Smart on Tyler Kolek?
MU head coach Shaka Smart gave an update on Kolek on Thursday during his radio show with Jen Lada on 94.5 FM.

"He spent a lot of time today with our training staff and our doctors," Smart said. "He's still being evaluated.

"He did injure a muscle in his oblique. I don't really have a timetable on exactly when he'll get back. He didn't do anything today, practice-wise. But Tyler's a guy, I promise you this, as soon as he's available and he's physically capable of coming back, he will be back.

"But at the same time, he tried to come back in the game after he sustained that injury. It was just too painful to play. We want to make sure we get that right for him. And right now they're still figuring out what the right course of action is in terms of the short term."

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/oblique-muscle-pain

[muwarrior69]

Per Dung Willie?

I'm alarmed that I can't tell whether you're serious or not in this instance.

Rico is always oblique.

[HowardsWorld]

This might be a dumb question but is this something you can play through if you take pain killers? Or does this literally through off your passing/shooting ability?

[Uncle Rico]

This might be a dumb question but is this something you can play through if you take pain killers? Or does this literally through off your passing/shooting ability?

Depends on your will to win

[tower912]

This might be a dumb question but is this something you can play through if you take pain killers? Or does this literally through off your passing/shooting ability?

Baseball players, no.   Because so much of their arm or bat speed is generated through rotation of their hips and torso.   Plus, with pitchers, you don't want them to develop a compensatory move that alters their motion.
   With basketball players, there isn't as much history.   Could he do permanent damage?   Probably not.   Could he find a way to perform while managing the pain?  There is not a lot of history supporting that.

[Hards Alumni]

I would think anything as essential for movement as your oblique would have a significant impact on passing and certainly shooting.

[nyg]

At some point, Willis Reed will be referenced.   Remember, he scored 4 points and had 3 rebounds in his heroic return.

And Walt Frazier stepped up and came through having one of the best games, if not the best, in Knicks history. Inspired by Willis and the Garden crowd.
36 points, 19 assists, 7 steals and 7 rebounds.

Maybe Gold or Kam can step it up like Clyde did in a smaller manner in a hostile environment as opposed to at home.  Thats if Kolek cannot play of course. 

[Shooter McGavin]

Depends on your will to win

Hawk Harrelson, "TWTW"

[WhiteTrash]

My sources tell me he has 4-6 weeks to live

That's a bit dramatic.

I think with an Iron Lung and a feeding tube he should be able to live a fairly normal life.

[TallTitan34]

One plus side is we know Tyler can play through pain.  By all accounts his ankle was pretty messed up for that Illinois game and he kicked ass.  Obviously, different injury this time around though.   

[StillAWarrior]

And literally everything else here is speculation.

Well, except for the fact that he passed out at 31 Flavors. And that he had an oblique transplant. You can book those. Gospel. The rest...rank speculation.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Well, except for the fact that he passed out at 31 Flavors. And that he had an oblique transplant. You can book those. Gospel. The rest...rank speculation.

And he's been cleared by Dr. Jabroni.  Lets not focus on the negatives.

[Tyler COLEk]

To add to the pointless speculation, I'd guess TK is out until the Big East tournament. Really hope he doesn't push it too soon, obliques need rest to heal.

[StillAWarrior]

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/oblique-muscle-pain

I question the source...no mention of transplants as a treatment.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

If Pat Morita was still with us this wouldn't even be a concern.