Kolek out for the next two games

[MTBingNinja]

Never wishing for a player’s injury but it’ll be a bit easier. A win is a win. Nobody outside of the UConn fanbase cries when one of our players is out

 

[Edward Sargent]

I think the loss at Creighton was more about not having Igodouro.

 

[EricLA]

Hope Kolek gets Healthy for the NCAA's. Would love to see numerous Big East teams in the elite 8 and beyond.

 

[dennismenace]

This obviously sucks for Marquette and the Big East more broadly, but also puts us in a no-win situation on Wednesday. The narrative will be either:

W: UConn beats top 10 Marquette on the road, but without Kolek does it really mean anything?
L: UConn lost to Marquette without Kolek -- are they in trouble?

An alternate view is we just go right on winning regardless of who the opponent is and what kind of shape they are in. Injuries are just part of the game and no one is immune to them. It's not something we can control but I see where you're coming from. They are a team that will not quit so best to be prepared with no let down.

 

[MexicoHusky]

It's not like they're morphing into Depaul without Kolek.

Do you think they can win a tournament game without him? I don't.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

I can't recall an oblique injury being any less than 6 weeks in other sports

I think he's done for the year

I was actually thinking the same. You hear oblique injury in baseball (different movements I know) and the player is out for a least a month.

 

[MexicoHusky]

They are? In your head or on the court? On the court, they played Creighton even in Omaha for 36 minutes without not just him but their center as well.

And lost by 14. I don't think they are a threat to go anywhere in the tournament without him.

 

[king conn]

I was actually thinking the same. You hear oblique injury in baseball (different movements I know) and the player is out for a least a month.

Unless it's Giancarlo Stanton, in which case it's 3 months

 

[HuskyHawk]

Hope he is back and ready to play for the Big East tournament, or at least the NCAAs. Would hate to see him and Marquette deprived of a real chance to go deep in March.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Do you think they can win a tournament game without him? I don't.

A tournament game? They played Creighton on the road straight up for most of the game without Kolek and Ighodaro. Of course they can win a tournament game without him.

 

[CL82]

Do you think they can win a tournament game without him? I don't.

I do. They definitely won't win six without him though.

 

[bluestreak]

Marquette is not a one man team. And Shaka Smart will proficiently coach around Kolek.
They might not be as good, but I expect they will be very good non the less.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Smart move. Play the long game. You gotta think it's not much difference for Marquette as a 2-3 seed. I think there's even data points suggesting a 4-seed can make a deep run in the tourney.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Saying he's done for the year may affect the their NCAA seeding. Remember UConn women were denied a 1 seed one year because of a injury?

This is the Men's board and the correct reference is Cincy and Kenyon Martin.

 

[Blue Blood]

Sucks for Kolek. These types are personalities are what makes the big east great. Hope he comes back in time for NCAAs at minimum. If he does not, does he have eligibility left? He was starting to make most draft boards but a late season injury to a fringe guy, I'd have to imagine the NIL opportunities at Marquette/transfer would be far higher than what he could make as an injured middling NBA prospect.

 

[willie99]

I don't want injuries, to any player on any team, especially college kids

Wish him well, want Marquette to make some noise come madness

 

[7774]

Do you think they can win a tournament game without him? I don't.

Plenty of teams worse than Marquette without Kolek win tournament games every year. And most of them play teams better than whatever team Marquette will play in the first round.

 

[Mr. French]

It's not like they're morphing into Depaul without Kolek.

No, definitely not. But they can kiss the title / Final 4 goodbye.

 

[August_West]

Do you think they can win a tournament game without him? I don't.

I do. At worst they are a 3 seed. They can absolutely beat a 14 seed without Tyler Kolek. And they can probably beat the 6 seed in the next round too. I feel your estimation of this is misguided.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

We need more competition as we head into NCAAs. Not less. So this sucks for us. Also sucks for Marquette and he league. They are completely dead in the water without him. I hope he can play in the NCAAs.

did you see their game against Creighton? We are gonna have our hands full bud.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Plenty of teams worse than Marquette without Kolek win tournament games every year. And most of them play teams better than whatever team Marquette will play in the first round.

I wouldn't bet on Marquette to beat anyone without Kolek. With the right match up maybe. But I think both our teams that lost to New Mexico State and Maryland would beat Marquette without Kolek.... and neither of those teams won a game in the tournament.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Do you think they can win a tournament game without him? I don't.

I am very confident that Marquette can beat a 15 seed without him.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I am very confident that Marquette can beat a 15 seed without him.

That's fair. I should probably rephrase my statement to, do you think Marquette gets out of the first weekend.

 

[Fore!]

This obviously sucks for Marquette and the Big East more broadly, but also puts us in a no-win situation on Wednesday. The narrative will be either:

W: UConn beats top 10 Marquette on the road, but without Kolek does it really mean anything?
L: UConn lost to Marquette without Kolek -- are they in trouble?

I hope they aren’t lulled into a false sense of security regarding Wednesday’s game with him not playing; they challenged the BJ’s for most the game on Saturday without him.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I wouldn't bet on Marquette to beat anyone without Kolek. With the right match up maybe. But I think both our teams that lost to New Mexico State and Maryland would beat Marquette without Kolek.... and neither of those teams won a game in the tournament.

I think you are comically underrating Marquette and potentially setting yourself up for disappointment in two days.