Kolek Out for Remainder of Regular Season (at Least)

[MUBurrow]

Welp, time for point-Jolpin to step up.

[muwarrior69]

Agreed. At worst this just confirms what was already almost guaranteed — that Kolek won't be 100% by this weekend.

Now it's a question of whether he suits up for the BET. With the tournament win from last season in their back pocket, I think they'll be very cautious there too. Obviously he'll he playing in the NCAAT.

[/color]

What, and hurt his NBA draft prospects if he re-injures himself.

[Newsdreams]

No source whatsoever, just speculation...

   So, Tyler makes an ill-advised statement (requiring a reference to Urban Dictionary) about a St John's defender, clearly with no intent on any overtones of any kind, but it still isn't the kind of thing you want to say in a presser. Keep it to yourself or on the floor as a response to trash talk, and let the refs sort it out. Recent interviews with St John's players about the upcoming Big East Tournament reveal that they cannot wait to possibly face Tyler Kolek and Marquette again (this sentence is a fact).

   The league offices don't issue any statement, but some phone calls are made to MU officials to maybe have a word with Tyler about toning down those kinds of responses, along with middle-finger ring pictures. In the meantime, at the Providence game at Fiserv Forum, Tyler is smacked hard just below his eye and is bleeding significantly. This and other  plays throughout the season confirm that Tyler is absolutely NOT a protected player by Big East referees. With another MU high-seed NCAA Tournament bid on the horizon, especially after the previous year where Tyler was rendered ineffective by an injury in the first game of the tournament, the Marquette coaching staff has been mulling over a way to protect Tyler for the now relatively unimportant remainder of the regular season and BET.

   Tyler goes back into the Providence game after getting his eye cut worked on and continues to get bumped and hassled a bit, and his coaches have seen enough. He makes a routine pass and subs himself out afterward. He soaks his beat-up frame at home over the ensuing weekend while his teammates play their hearts out in his and Oso's absence.

   No way in heck do I really think that either the conference or coaching staff, rather than an actual injury, benched Tyler for 3 games. That said, Kolek doesn't get any favors from refs, and he often becomes a target of opponents' most physical players. And the OP wasn't in teal, so....just sayin'.

   If Tyler can get healthy for the Big East Tournament, I sure hope the referees don't tolerate any retribution towards him.

Q?

[Jay Bee]

Hello, 4 seed! (BEast)

If Seton Hall beats Nova, we may be looking at needing a win at X to snag 3rd. Ooofta

[bilsu]

I would not play Kolek in first game of Big East tournament even if he thinks he is ready. This gives MU more game time playing without him.

[PointWarrior]

Goose - maybe Oso faked his illness so he and Tyler could double down their NIL money on wagering on Creighton and the points...

GoFast

I understood your post. I guess some guys don't think outside the box.

[FairWeatherEagle]

We root for the team not just 1 player. We want Kolek back soon but if not -

Lets finish the season well,
lets have some excitement in NY,
lets make a run in the tourney S-16!  E-8!?!  beyond?!?!

I just found out I'll be in West Lafayette (of all places), the evening of April 8.  Dreamin of watching a PurdueXMarquette rematch in my MU gear at a Boilermaker bar!

[Lennys Tap]

I thought we became a more dangerous tournament team when Sean was injured because 38 minutes of Kolek + 2 minutes of Tre or whoever was > 28 minutes of Kolek + 12 minutes of Sean. I still believe that.

Without Kolek, though, our best mix was 25-30 minutes of Sean + whoever. I thought the guys played great at Creighton without a PG. But we only had a handful of assists and opponents have tape on us minus Tyler now. Oso can help some with the ball handling/distributing but no Kolek or Kolek less than 100% with his back up already down for the season really diminishes our chances. Saddest thing is we looked to be peaking just at the right time.

[The Sultan]

The ball didn't move all that much though. Not sure that's going to work for long.

[Lennys Tap]

I am having those flashbacks, though I think this is potentially a lot worse.

The 09 team had McNeal, Matthews,and Hayward, and a serviceable backup for James in Maurice Acker.

Kolek really drives this team's offense and , especially with Sean Jones already out, if Kolek can't play in the NCAA tournament this team's ceiling becomes really low.

If Tyler can't play, this is MUCH worse. #1, Tyler is considerably better than Dom was. #2, Mo Acker was a solid backup. This year's solid backup is still in a cast.

[Lennys Tap]

The ball didn't move all that much though. Not sure that's going to work for long.

100% agree - that was part of the point I was trying to make.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I think the ball movement piece was exacerbated by losing two of our primary ball handlers.  A healthy Oso helps a ton on our O sets. 

[HowardsWorld]

In my opinion and theres some homer in me. I believe we win that game against Creighton with just Oso and no Kolek. Oso had 16 rebounds the first matchup when we out rebounded Creighton. It could have been the difference.

[Galway Eagle]

In my opinion and theres some homer in me. I believe we win that game against Creighton with just Oso and no Kolek. Oso had 16 rebounds the first matchup when we out rebounded Creighton. It could have been the difference.

I agree or at least they don't pull away in the end. Ben not shooting that poorly was a key to us winning without having Oso to bang against kalk

[JakeBarnes]

In my opinion and theres some homer in me. I believe we win that game against Creighton with just Oso and no Kolek. Oso had 16 rebounds the first matchup when we out rebounded Creighton. It could have been the difference.

Oso would have negated Kalk. I agree

[rocket surgeon]

GoFast

I understood your post. I guess some guys don't think outside the box.

absolutely gentlemen...this is one of those situations ya won't here the rest of the story until it comes out in paperback. 

[Goose]

MU needs TK to make any kind of run. There is no way the offense we saw on Saturday goes very far in the tournament.

[Lennys Tap]

MU needs TK to make any kind of run. There is no way the offense we saw on Saturday goes very far in the tournament.

100%

[Dr. Blackheart]

MU needs TK to make any kind of run. There is no way the offense we saw on Saturday goes very far in the tournament.

Efficiency-wise, MU's offense in Omaha was much better than MU's offense in the win in MKE. Shot 53 eFG % even with Ben's off day.

The defense OTOH with Oso out...woof

[bradforster]

100%, I am more concerned about our seed to be honest. I want the two seed so we can play the 15 seed without Kolek if he is not ready and then clearly have a game where we still have the chance to win against the 7/10 seed without him. We lose the next three though and things shift drastically.

It would be extremely disappointing, even without Tyler, if MU lost at Xavier.  The Musketeers stink, and there is no reason to believe we shouldn't beat them on Saturday. 

[bradforster]

MU needs TK to make any kind of run. There is no way the offense we saw on Saturday goes very far in the tournament.

I can't agree more with this sentiment.

[Goose]

Dr. B

I'll stick with my eye test on both sides of the ball. The offense took a lot of energy to get difficult shots. I would not be booking S16 tickets counting on that isolation offense.

As for the D, we agree to disagree.

[79Warrior]

Wtf did I just read?

Lol

[MU82]

MU needs TK to make any kind of run. There is no way the offense we saw on Saturday goes very far in the tournament.

Absolutely. We could maybe get to the Sweet 16 if everybody else is healthy and playing well, but beyond that it would be an understatement to say that victory without Kolek would be highly doubtful. And this season is all about "beyond that."

It would be extremely disappointing, even without Tyler, if MU lost at Xavier.  The Musketeers stink, and there is no reason to believe we shouldn't beat them on Saturday. 

Word. It's not easy winning on the road, but we still will be the much better team.

The defense OTOH with Oso out...woof

Agree with this, too (I'm very agreeable tonight). Oso's defense - both on Kalkbrenner and switching onto others - would have made a huge difference vs. Creighton, especially knowing now that Gold didn't play very well.

[4everwarriors]

In udder words, we're ucked-fayed, aina?