Zakai Zeigler on avoiding letdown against LSU: 'Every game we've got to bring it'

The Tennessee Volunteers had the opposite of a letdown at home against the LSU Tigers following their massive 103-92 road win over the Kentucky Wildcats. Tennessee dominated from the opening tip to beat LSU 88-68, improving to 7-2 in the SEC.

After the smoke settled and the Volunteers picked up win number 17 on the season, the SEC Now crew caught up with one of the stars of the game, guard Zakai Zeigler. The Tennessee senior guard, who finished the night with 17 points and nine assists, shared a few thoughts on his performance on the night and how they were able to avoid a flat performance against LSU at home.

“I just say I’m playing really well,” said Zeigler. “My teammates have confidence in me, Coach Barnes and all the coaches have confidence in me, and they instill it in me every day. My teammates told me I’m the best guard in the country and to go out there and believe it. And that’s how I feel like I’m going out there playing right now.

“Coach Barnes told us that we had to have that same type of energy a game. We can’t just be a one-hit-wonder type of team, and he put it on the leaders. He told me, Santi (Santiago Vescovi), [and] Josiah [Jordan-James]; he called us out and told us every game we’ve got to bring it. We can’t have no let-ups, and we let one go just like we did in South Carolina.”

What makes Zeigler’s performance this year even more impressive is the fact that he is less than a year removed from tearing his ACL last season. It took some time, but he is now looking and playing like he did last year before the untimely injury. Ziegler also shared what it means to be back on the court playing with his teammates at such a high level.

“Oh, it means a lot because I remember the moment I went down,” he said. “I looked at Santi and told him, ‘I’m sorry, bro. I’m hurt, I don’t know what to do.’ And now, just to be playing like this, for them to have my back the way they do, just feels so good. Words can’t explain how happy I am just to be back playing the way I am.”

Up next for Zeigler and Tennessee is a trip to College Station to take on the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday, February 10. The Volunteers currently sit a half game out of first place in the SEC behind South Carolina, Auburn, and Alabama, who are in a three-way tie for the top spot in the conference. Should Tennessee beat Texas A&M on Saturday, it’ll bring them one step closer to capturing the SEC regular season crown.