The Marquette Golden Eagles are back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2013, withstanding a second-half comeback from Colorado Sunday to get a 81-77 win and advance to the second weekend. The Golden Eagles will meet NC State in the Sweet 16, and they’ll be hoping Tyler Kolek and Kam Jones can maintain their stellar production so far for that contest.
Both Kolek and Jones were on NBA radars but neither was considered a top-tier prospect in this year’s class. Kolek fits the bill as a classic point guard but his development curve is not quite what scouts would like to see high in the draft. Jones shows a bit more promise on that front but there are questions about his ability to be physical given his frame. The loss to Michigan State in the round of 32 last year didn’t do either player any favors. Kolek and Jones combined to shoot 7-21 for 21 points, with the former having six turnovers to only five assists. For reference, Kolek’s career assist-turnover ratio stands at 2.78:1.
It looked like Marquette was in trouble once again in the first round of the 2024 tournament, trailing No. 15 Western Kentucky by seven points at halftime. Jones, a wing who projects to play more as a shooting guard at the next level, exploded in the second half. He hit seven of his 10 shots, including four triples, en route to 28 total points and a convincing 18-point win. Kolek wasn’t as fortunate shooting the ball, but still finished the game with 18 points and 11 assists.
Sunday’s win was much more important for both players in regards to their NBA stock. Kolek once again logged a double-double with 21 points and 11 assists. He showed the right mixture of aggression, control and calmness in key moments down the stretch. Even though he finished with six turnovers, he’s showing enough to have folks at the NBA level feeling good about his ability to contribute. Jones was solid as well with 18 points on 7-13 shooting overall. He also hit four triples on 10 attempts. NBA personnel would like to see more involvement on the glass, but the efficiency is hard to ignore.
At the moment, Kolek is seen as a late first-round prospect across most rankings while Jones is probably going to be looked at in the second round. Marquette has gotten a relatively favorable draw here, with No. 11 NC State being next up instead of No. 3 Kentucky or No. 6 Texas Tech. If Kolek and Jones can lead this program past the Wolfpack and then take out Houston and its elite defense, both players will move up on draft boards with Jones likely getting into the first round.