'He just causes havoc': Zakai Zeigler 'finding his groove' for Tennessee

If there was a moment that summed up the frustrations, it was Zakai Zeigler running in transition, No. 9 Tennessee trailing Kentucky by three in the closing minutes at Thompson-Boling Arena, and the sophomore point guard missing the rushed layup attempt at the rim. 

It was that kind of day for Zeigler, who had six points and seven assists, going 3-for-12 from the field and 0-for-3 from the 3-point line. 

It was that kind of day for the Vols in the 63-56 loss, missing 18 of 21 3-point attempts and, somehow, 11 of 21 layups. 

A week later, it’s a distant memory.

Zeigler recorded his second double-double of the season on Saturday, with 12 points and 10 assists in No. 9 Tennessee’s 77-56 wire-to-wire win at LSU. 

Zakai Zeigler’s last two games: 36 points, 14 assists, 8 rebounds

Four days earlier he bounced back from the Kentucky loss with 24 points in a 70-59 win at Mississippi State, adding six rebounds and four assists while playing the full 40 minutes for the shorthanded Vols, who were missing both senior guards Santiago Vescovi and Tyreke Key.

“He’s so good offensively,” Josiah-Jordan James said on Saturday, “getting in gaps, getting guys open and also being able to create for himself.” 

But after the game, while talking with Dane Bradshaw on the ESPN broadcast, James wanted to talk about just how well Zeigler is playing. 

Bradshaw referenced Zeigler as arguably the best point guard in the SEC. James cut him off before he could finish the question. 

“That’s my argument,” James said, “just because he impacts winning. On the defensive end, on the offensive end. I mean, I know every coach we play against, they wish they had a Zakai Zeigler. We’re just lucky we’ve got him in Knoxville.”

Up Next: No. 9 Tennessee vs. Georgia, Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

Since the loss to Kentucky, Zeigler has scored his 36 points on 12-for-26 shooting from the floor and 6-for-18 from the 3-point line. He has 14 assists and eight rebounds.

He committed five turnovers in the first 12 minutes at Mississippi State, but had just one over his next 65 minutes. 

And that’s just what he does on the offensive end.

Zeigler had three steals at Mississippi State, then added two more at LSU. He has a team-high 42, second most in the SEC, through 19 games.

“Defensively, he just causes havoc,” James said. “You’d think that we’d be at a liability with him on defense just because of his size but it’s never the case with him. I feel like he’s just finding his groove.”