Tennessee's Zakai Zeigler isn't just back, he might be 'better than at times last year'

First Ole Miss coach Chris Beard labeled No. 5 Tennessee as “a Final Four contender” after losing to the Vols 90-64 on Saturday at Thompson-Boling Arena. Later during his postgame press conference, though, he circled back and wanted to put an asterisk on it. 

“You’re looking at one of the best teams in the country,” Beard said, “but you’ve got (Zakai) Zeigler still trying to get his legs under him.”

Based on his play the last three weeks, Zeigler appears to have his legs all the way back under him, despite being a little more than 10 months out from suffering a torn ACL in his left knee.  

He had 17 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in a team-high 37 minutes in the win over Ole Miss on Saturday. Over his last four games, he’s averaging 16.7 points, 6.7 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in 34.5 minutes per game. 

“From where I was sitting,” Beard said, “he’s back.”

Zeigler declared himself back after playing 39 minutes in the win over North Carolina State in San Antonio on December 16, when he had a season-high 20 points to go with eight assists, four steals and three rebounds. 

It was his first game playing more than 30 minutes. By halftime against the Wolfpack he had 11 points, matching his previous season high. 

“I’m back,” Zeigler said at the time. “That’s all I can really say. I’m back.”

Zakai Zeigler’s last four games: 67 points, 27 assists, 10 rebounds, 10 steals

A week earlier, when Tennessee was hosting Illinois in front of a capacity crowd at Thompson-Boling Arena on December 9, Zeigler dove on the floor for a steal near midcourt, leading to a transition dunk for Josiah-Jordan James.

The play was made in the middle of a game-changing 10-0 run that propelled the Vols in an 86-79 win. 

“We’ve watched him over the last couple weeks get back to (himself),” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said after the win, “but that’s who he is. That’s what endeared him into our fans here.”

The Illinois game was seemingly a turning point. During the first eight games of the season, as Zeigler’s minutes slowly climbed from 12 in the season opener against Tennessee Tech on November 6 to 28 against Georgia Southern on December 5, he shot just 24.0% from the field and 23.5% from the 3-point line.

Over the last six games, starting with his 20 points in 29 minutes against the Illini, Zeigler has shot 45.1% from the field and 41.6% from the 3-point line. 

“Just knowing that he’s confident,” Tennessee junior wing Jahmai Mashack said Saturday night, “and that he knows we have the confidence in him, it goes a long way for guys like him. They feed off of that.”

Up Next: No. 5 Tennessee at Mississippi State, Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

Tennessee assistant coach Gregg Polinksy before practice on Tuesday was asked if there was any surprise that Zeigler has made this much progress this quickly after the devastating injury that ended his sophomore season.

“Yes and no,” Polinksy said.

Yes, being nine months out of ACL surgery and playing the way Zeigler is playing is a surprise. But no, it’s not really a surprise when considering who Zeigler is.

“Knowing Zakai, his DNA, how he’s wired, he’s just wired to compete,” Polinksy said. “He went through this period to get back and I’m not sure what — you’d have to ask (trainer) Chad (Newman) and (strength coach) Garrett (Medenwald) where he really is on the scale, but just watching him play, he’s starting to get that comfort level. It starts to look like the old Zakai.”

Or maybe the new and improved Zakai Zeigler. 

“And he’s been, I think, as good if not better,” Polinsky said, “than at times last year.”