MILWAUKEE – Marquette coach Shaka Smart is optimistic that Tyler Kolek's oblique injury will not sideline the 2022-23 Big East Player of the Year for the remainder of the season.
Smart acknowledged Tuesday that “barring a miracle,” Kolek will not play in the eighth-ranked Golden Eagles' two regular-season games Wednesday against No. 2 UConn (26-3, 16-2 Big East). and on Saturday at Xavier (15-14, 9-9). Marquette (22-7, 13-5) had announced Monday that the 6-foot-3 guard would not be available for those games and would be re-evaluated before next week's Big East tournament in New York.
“We're very confident he'll be able to play at some point very soon,” Smart said Tuesday.
Kolek suffered the injury during a 91-69 win over Providence on Wednesday. Smart said after the game that Kolek told him he made a pass, turned his body around and felt it. He left the game early in the second half, returned briefly and then left for good.
The injury caused Kolek to miss Marquette's 89-75 loss at No. 10 Creighton on Saturday. Smart said Tuesday that there is a “clear possibility” that Kolek could return for Marquette's Big East tournament opener on March 14.
“I'm sure he probably doesn't fully communicate how much he eats it up,” Smart said. “He's a guy who finds it hard to go a few hours without getting back in the gym and working on his game. So to go days in a row where he really can't do much is a challenge.
“But at the same time, he told me it's good that every day he can do a little more. Yesterday he was on the bike. Today he lifted weights. So he's making progress to come back, which is awesome.” “
Kolek averages 7.6 assists to lead all Division I players, and 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 helping Marquette win the Big East regular-season and tournament titles.
Smart also indicated that Oso Ighodaro should be available for Wednesday's game against UConn after an illness prevented him from playing at Creighton. Ighodaro averages a team-high 7.3 rebounds and is the Golden Eagles' third-leading scorer, averaging 14 points.
“He feels a lot better,” Smart said. “She had a really bad flu and literally couldn't leave the hotel when we got on the bus to go to the Creighton game. But she's doing much better. She practiced yesterday.”
Chase Ross, who is averaging 6.5 points and 20.9 minutes, played against Creighton but also wasn't feeling well that day. Smart said Ross did not practice Monday, but he is expected to practice Tuesday.
