Is Tyler Kolek playing today vs Western Kentucky? Looking at Marquette guard’s availability ahead of March Madness

Marquette Golden Eagles guard Tyler Kolek is expected to play on Friday in the first round of March Madness.

Marquette enters the tournament as a No. 2 seed and will play the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at 2 p.m. ET. Heading into the game, the big question for the Golden Eagles is the status of starting guard Tyler Kolek.

Tyler Kolek injury update

Kolek hasn't played since Feb. 28 as he's dealt with an injury, but head coach Shaka Smart told the media the guard is expected to play on Friday.

"The plan is for him to play," Smart said, via JSOnline. "But he's got to go through a progression this week. And so once we get back on the practice court, we'll be able to continue that progression...

"To be honest, the best part about it is for the guys that played this last weekend, and for Tyler, it's just another 24 hours to get ourselves where we want to be when the ball goes up in the air."

Having Kolek back is huge since he is a focal point for Marquette's attack. The Golden Eagles struggled in the Big East finals against UConn without a guard in their lineup.

This season, he's averaging 15 points, 4.7 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game.

Is Tyler Kolek playing today?

Tyler Kolek will be back in Marquette's lineup after a prolonged absence due to injury. Along with Tyler Kolek being back in the lineup, the guard also won't have a minutes restriction.

Even though Kolek hasn't played in almost a month, Smart says the training staff hasn't told him about any restrictions for the guard.

"We're kind of going day-by-day," Smart said. "We've had a specific amount of time that he's been able to practice. He kind of went over that (on Tuesday) in practice.

"Then today was relatively short for the team. So he was out there the whole time. We'll see how tomorrow goes. And then, most importantly, we'll see how it goes in the game. From a standpoint of his wind, his rhythm, his timing."

Marquette enters its game against Western Kentucky as a 14.5-point favorite.

Tyler Kolek stats last game

While the senior guard has not played since February, Kolek put up 12 points, six assists, and four rebounds in the Golden Eagles' matchup against Providence. Kolek has been an integral part of Marquette's lineup, as the starting guard putting up 15 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 7.6 APG through the 2023-24 season.

When will Tyler Kolek be back?

Tyler Kolek is set to return from injury in Marquette's first-round March Madness matchup against Western Kentucky. This will provide the Eagles with a much-needed boost as center Oso Ighodoro is set to be a game-time decision and guard Sean Jones is out for the season following a knee injury.