3 Takeaways from Marquette Basketball losing to Wisconsin
By Todd Welter
Marquette Basketball needs more scoring from Tyler Kolek.
Kolek had eight assists. He is really doing a great job of taking over the point guard role. He has been outstanding at getting to the basket, drawing in defenders, and then passing off to an open Kuath or Ighodaro for an easy slam. He has been excellent at creating open looks for his other teammates. He has been pesky on defense as well.
Perusing some stats this morning, stumbled across Kolek leading the Big East in Shot Quality passing points created per game (which assigns a point value to a shot regardless of result).
— Paint Touches (@PaintTouches) December 5, 2021
No other #mubb player has more than 3.6 a game. pic.twitter.com/bIZ9hWrtbs
If the Marquette Golden Eagles are to get through this brutal December schedule, they need Kolek to score. They need the Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Year, who averaged 10.8 points per game and shot 35.8% from three-point range last season while he played for George Mason.
Since Kolek transferred to Marquette, he is averaging 7.7 points per game and shooting 25.6% from three.
The coaching staff is not labeling his scoring woes a slump.
Check out our interview with Special Assistant to the Head Coach Nevada Smith. A MUST listen for all MU fans! We are on Spotify, Apple and wherever else you get your podcasts! Thanks again for the time Coach @nvsmith https://t.co/MP3ez5kkEi#mubb
— TheGoldenBreak (@TheGoldenBreak) December 2, 2021
Kolek does have good form and fundamentals on his shot. Marquette just needs his shots to start going through the net and clanking off the rim.
Otherwise, Kolek continues to live up to the comparison to legend Golden Eagles point guard Travis Diener.
Travis Diener and Tyler Kolek acknowledging each other at every #mubb timeout pic.twitter.com/jedxlvalE0
— Ben Steele (@BenSteeleMJS) December 4, 2021