Hot Streak: Kentucky could see different Zakai Zeigler when Tennessee rolls into Rupp Arena

by:Adam Luckett•about 14 hours•

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Zakai Zeigler — Jamie Rhodes/USA TODAY IMAGES

Kentucky’s upset win as a double-digit road dog against Tennessee two weeks ago was highlighted by makes vs. misses. The Cats shot 50 percent from the field with 12 field goals from three to overcome a 19.4 percent turnover rate with a short-handed roster. The Vols shot 51.9 percent from two but 62.5 percent of their total field goal attempts came from three-point range. That was a bad thing because Rick Barnes saw his team shoot just 24.4 percent from deep.

Despite owning a 37.5 percent offensive rebound rate and only having five turnovers in 67 possessions, Tennessee dropped a home game simply because they could not make open jump shots. Leading scorer Chaz Lanier (15 points on 14 field goal attempts) eventually found some makes, but Tennessee’s leader struggled mightily as he played through a knee injury.

Zakai Zeigler finished the game with 13 points on 18 field goal attempts as the senior shot 1-for-11 from three. That was just after a two-game stretch against Mississippi State and Auburn where Zeigler shot a combined 1-of-9 from three. Luckily, that tough cold shooting spree (2-of-20 from three) ended after the senior point guard sat out the home win against Florida.

In wins over Missouri and Oklahoma, Zakai Zeigler has scored 38 total points on 64.7 percent field goal shooting with seven rebounds and 17 assists. Zeigler is shooting 7-of-8 from three since that brick party against Kentucky. The Vols are a different team when their point guard is making shots.

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After taking advantage of a cold streak two weeks ago, Kentucky will now see Zakai Zeigler during a hot streak. The veteran is only shooting 31.3 percent from three this season, but that number had made a jump over the last two weeks.

Scoring against Tennessee’s No. 1 ranked defense will be a challenge. The Cats must limit touches for Chaz Lanier and that should lead to shot attempts from Zakai Zeigler. If the senior is hitting it could be hard to beat this Tennessee squad.