Tyler Kolek injury update: Latest on Marquette guard's availability for NCAA tournament

Tyler Kolek won't be playing in the opener of the Big East tournament. That's because he's dealing with an oblique injury that kept him out of Marquette's final three regular-season games.

The hope was that Kolek would be able to play in the Big East Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.

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Latest injury update on Tyler Kolek

Tyler Kolek will not play on Thursday when Marquette takes on Villanova at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Kolek returned to practice on Wednesday. Golden Eagles coach Shaka Smart says that the guard will play next week and will be a full-go for the NCAA Tournament.

"He's still day-to-day and not planning on playing tomorrow, but he's close," Smart said in a statement, via Yahoo.

"He practiced for part of our session today, and he's been working out and continues to get treatment. The plan is absolutely for him to play next week, and he's made really good progress."

Although Kolek won't play on Thursday, it's good news for Marquette fans that he will be back for the NCAA Tournament. Smart says that they are holding him out for precaution:

"It's a unique injury. So it's not really one that any of us have a ton of experience with. So there's a little bit of cautiousness there, because of what our ultimate goal is.

"If today was the national championship game, he would be playing. The Big East tournament is obviously a big deal, and we want to win, but we also have to make sure we get back on that airplane from New York to Milwaukee feeling better about coming out here in terms of his health."

Tyler Kolek has been a focal point of the Golden Eagles' offense, as the senior is averaging 15.0 PPG, 7.6 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals this season. He's also shooting 48.6% and 40.0% from three.

Marquette is projected to be a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Against Villanova on Thursday, the Golden Eagles are 4.5-point favorites, in what could be a big game for Marquette's seeding in the NCAA Tournament.

The winner advances to Friday night's second semifinal to take on the winner of the Creighton-Providence matchup.