Zakai Zeigler: Tennessee is 'a totally different team' than the one that faced Purdue in November

DETROIT — The last time Tennessee played Purdue, it was November in Honolulu. Purdue shot 48 free throws, including 17 attempts from center Zach Edey, and the Vols were whistled for 30 fouls. 

Purdue’s president, Mung Chang, called Tennessee “a wrestling team that fouls 100%” and added “Boilermaker student athletes, be safe!”

Purdue, which had 21 of its own fouls called and sent Tennessee to the line 30 times, won 71-67 in the Maui Invitational, getting 27 points from guard Fletcher Loyer, who went 10-for-11 on free throws. Edey scored nine of his 23 points at the foul line and had 10 rebounds. 

“I feel like we were a totally different team, really,” Zakai Zeigler said Friday night. 

Zeigler, arguably the best example of that difference, had five points, four rebounds and three assists, with three turnovers, in the loss. He played just 28 minutes while still early in his return from the torn ACL that ended his junior season seven months prior. 

Dalton Knecht had 16 points and seven rebounds in 32 minutes.

“We were still kind of getting the hang of each other,” Zeigler said. “I feel like I was still getting back a little bit and we were still just new to each other. We weren’t really as close, but now we’re at the point that we feel like we’re the best team in the country. 

“But we got to understand that we got to go out there and show everything.”

That opportunity comes Sunday afternoon, when No. 2 Tennessee (27-8) faces No. 1 Purdue (32-4) in the Elite Eight in the Midwest Regional final. Tipoff at Little Caesars Arena is set for 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time on CBS.

“We played Purdue earlier in the year,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said Friday night. “It was a loaded field in Honolulu. Hard-fought game, it really was. We’ll get back at it with them.”

“We obviously have great respect for Purdue,” Barnes added, “and we’ve played them. But they’re much better, and I’d like to think we are too.”

Tennessee to face Purdue for fourth time in last seven seasons

Tennessee-Purdue has been a recurring storyline over recent seasons.

The Vols beat the Boilermakers in overtime in the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas in November 2017, a turning point for the program under Barnes, with that team going on to win 26 games and a share of the SEC regular-season championship on the way to a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Purdue ended Tennessee’s 31-6 season in the Sweet 16 in March 2019 after Carsen Edwards drew a called foul on a corner three in the closing seconds of regulation. He made two of three free throws to force overtime on the way to a 99-94 win. 

Tennessee on Friday advanced to another March meeting with Purdue by winning for just the second time in the Sweet 16, beating No. 3 Creighton 82-75 thanks to 26 points and six rebounds from Knecht, the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year finalist and consensus First Team All-American.

Edey led Purdue to an 80-68 win over No. 5 Gonzaga in Friday’s early game, scoring 27 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. He’s the reigning National Player of the Year, one of four finalists for the award alongside Knecht this season and has his own consensus First Team All-American honors.

“We know they’re one of the best teams in the nation right now,” Tennessee center Jonas Aidoo said Friday night. “They’re hot, they got a national player of the year candidate and we have one too.”

The Vols know the Boilermakers are a lot more than just the big man that gets all the attention around the rim.

“They got a lot of shooters around Zach Edey,” Aidoo said. “We got to limit those guys, limit those shots, pressure the ball. Make it tough on entry passes. Just really take pride on the defensive end.

“We already know, we already have the scout down. We know it’s going to go differently, so we’re just ready to get to work.”

Tennessee passed the test against Creighton big man Ryan Kalkbrenner Friday night. The 7-foot-1, 270-pounder finished with 14 points and seven rebounds in the loss, with two blocks and a pair of turnovers.

Trying to slow down Edey, the 7-foot-4, 300-pound foul-drawing machine, will be a completely different task.

“I mean that four inches and a couple pounds is a huge difference,” Aidoo said. “People really don’t really realize how big of a difference it is. I’m not used to playing players that are bigger than me, but I’m up for the challenge for sure.”

Elite Eight: No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 1 Purdue, Sunday, 2:20 p.m. ET, CBS

The biggest difference for Tennessee might be Zeigler, who has had back-to-back 40-minute outings in the second and third rounds of the NCAA Tournament. He has 33 points, 23 assists and 10 rebounds with just seven turnovers over his last three games, in wins over Saint Peter’s, Texas and Creighton.

Zeigler described himself as feeling like “a completely different player” than the one that was on the floor against Purdue in November. He’s already gone back and watched the film with strength coach Garrett Medenwald pointing out the differences.

“I was just seeing the way I moved,” Zeigler said. “Me and Coach G was talking about it, just certain cuts, you could tell I wasn’t really comfortable with making them. Now I’m more than comfortable with doing that.”

And he’s more than comfortable getting another shot at Purdue.

“I just feel like my progress throughout the season has been really good,” Zeigler said, “just from me taking care of my body. I feel like a whole completely new player.” 

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