“How is he going to replace what Tyler Kolek was?”: NCAAB analysts praise Marquette star ahead of game vs Purdue
The marquette-golden-eagles" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Marquette Golden Eagles will miss Tyler Kolek this season, but exactly how much will they miss him? College basketball analysts CJ Moore, John Fanta, and Terrence Oglesby believe current star Kam Jones has taken on the extra workload.
They praised him Tuesday as they previewed the upcoming Purdue-Marquette matchup on their show 'The Field of 68: After Dark'.
"Physical, strong, just a bucket." Oglesby said of Jones.
Commenting on the expectations and worries surrounding this group coming into the season with Kolek gone, Oglesby said he has been pleasantly surprised by what he's seen from Jones.
"A lot of people, myself included, coming into the season were thinking 'How is he going to replace what Tyler Kolek was... in getting all those looks?'"
"Little did I think about, 'why not just let Kam Jones be what Kam Jones is?'... Kam Jones is a scorer. He's built as a scorer. He thinks like a scorer... The threat of him going for 30 is what opens up his teammates."
Kolek leaving created a gap in Marquette's game, but it seems Jones has taken up the mantle to continue the former star's production. In his first season at Marquette, Kolek averaged 6.7 ppg and led the Big East Conference with 5.9 apg.
As a junior, the guard was named the Big East Player of the Year and was given first-team All-Big East honours. He averaged 18.7 points, seven rebounds, and five assists over three games in the Big East Tournament in 2023.
Now that Kolek has become a Knick, it's up to Jones to lead the Golden Eagles offense in his absence. The Athletic's CJ Moore believes the senior guard can do just that.
"I love Kam Jones, he's my favourite guy to watch in college basketball right now... That dude is not only a gifted scorer, but he is in incredible shape. Because he is running all over the place getting his buckets."
Jones and No. 15 Marquette will take the court against No. 6 Purdue Tuesday night in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.