Zakai Zeigler has change into probably the most beloved gamers in Tennessee basketball historical past.
On Friday, the 5-foot-9 level guard might make program historical past when the fourth-seeded Volunteers (25-6) tackle Thirteenth-seeded Texas (19-14) within the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Convention match in Nashville.
If Zeigler collects 4 assists, he’ll set a single-season program document with 228, eclipsing Rodney Woods from 1974-75. And Zeigler did not have the benefit of feeding Bernard King and Ernie Grunfeld, as Woods did.
Not dangerous for a man who 4 years in the past had two commit-now-or-forget-it-offers from Bryant and Saint Peter’s in the summertime after he graduated from highschool. Then he hit seven 3-pointers in a Peach Jam sport in Augusta, Ga., and all of the sudden the key was out.
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes has a historical past with turning small guards into stars — suppose Boogie McIntyre at Clemson or T.J. Ford at Texas.
“He simply performs at a excessive degree,” Barnes mentioned of Zeigler. “Looks as if he by no means will get drained.”
Zeigler averages 13.1 factors and seven.5 assists per sport for the eighth-ranked Volunteers, who’re coming into the match off a 75-65 win Saturday over South Carolina of their regular-season finale. Chaz Lanier leads the Tennessee assault with a mean of 17.9 ppg, whereas Jordan Gainey (10.9) and Igor Milicic (10.2) additionally hit in additional digits.
With Zeigler distributing and caring for the ball, Tennessee ranks nineteenth in Division I in assist-turnover ratio at 1.6. The Volunteers additionally provide a bodily protection that excels at rim safety, rating seventeenth within the nation at 5.1 blocked photographs per sport.
How the Longhorns maintain up towards such a bodily opponent would be the story inside the sport. They’re going to play their third sport in as many days after surviving fifth-seeded Texas A&M on Thursday for a 94-89 double-overtime win within the second spherical.
Six gamers scored in double figures for Texas, led by freshman Tre Johnson with 20 factors. He made simply 8 of 21 photographs from the sphere, however one was a clutch 3-pointer within the second extra time that gave his staff the lead for good at 87-85 with 2:08 remaining.
Johnson was requested after the sport if his heavy workload thus far will have an effect on him after logging 38 minutes Wednesday in a 79-72 win over Vanderbilt and 44 on Thursday.
“Greatest factor for me is getting a superb night time’s relaxation,” he mentioned. “I really feel like that is been serving to me out. I acquired a number of fuel within the tank. I wasn’t too drained on the market, particularly going double extra time. Have not achieved that earlier than.”
Johnson is averaging 20.1 ppg on 42.7 % capturing from the sphere. If he can summon another massive effort, it would outcome within the Longhorns nabbing an at-large NCAA bid that did not appear potential after they misplaced the regular-season finale Saturday towards Oklahoma.
Texas coach Rodney Terry made a case for his staff after their emotional victory towards their arch-rival, Texas A&M.
“We’ve star energy,” he mentioned. “We’re taking part in properly. I believe all that issues.”
The winner of this matchup will advance to a semifinal on Saturday afternoon towards both top-seeded Auburn or No. 8 seed Ole Miss.
–Discipline Degree Media
