Rick Barnes says Zakai Zeigler is frustrated and pressing but 'he'll get it'
Zakai Zeigler worked too hard to get back to have these kind of results. That’s how Rick Barnes described the frustrations Monday while attempting to get inside the head of Tennessee’s junior point guard.
“I mean, he’s such a competitive player,” Barnes said before practice at Thompson-Boling Arena, “and we all love him for his DNA and what he’s about.”
But, as Barnes said himself, Zeigler is pressing.
He pressed to get back from the torn ACL suffered on February 28, the one that ended his sophomore season, in time for the November 6 opener against Tennessee Tech.
And through seven games, he’s still pressing.
“No one has worked harder than he has to get back,” Barnes said. “And thinking that he’s gonna be able to pick it right up … it’s hard to go as long as he went without really getting the feel for the time off.
“Even though he worked, he did everything he possibly could, but he’s pressing.”
Zakai Zeigler through seven games: 4.2 points, 3.0 assists, 2.5 turnovers, 19.4% FG, 18.2% 3FG
The adjustment to getting back on the floor shows on Zeigler’s stat line.
He’s shooting just 19.4% from the floor (7-36) and 18.2% from three (4-22) with a team-high 15 turnovers in five games. He shot 38.1% from the floor and 35.2% from the 3-point line as a freshman two years ago and 37.5% from the floor and 31.1% from the 3-point line last season.
The nine points Zeigler scored against Syracuse in the first round of the Maui Invitational last week was a season high, but it came on two made shots from the floor. He went 5-for-6 from the foul line.
He had five points in 48 minutes against Purdue and Kansas, going 2-for-17 from the floor and just 1-for-11 from the 3-point line. Before the Hawaii trip, Zeigler was 3-for-14 from the field, including 3-for-10 from three.
Top 10
- 1
Underranked SEC
Lane Kiffin protests CFP rankings
- 2New
Saban chirped
Big 12 comes after GOAT
- 3
DJ Lagway
Fan flashes Florida QB to Pope
- 4Hot
Strength of Schedule
CFP Top 25 SOS ranking
- 5
Alabama needs a prayer
Tide can make the CFP but needs help
Turnovers have been an issue, too. Zeigler has committed three or more in three of his seven games, including a season-high six against Syracuse. He averaged just 2.0 per game over his first two seasons.
Up Next: No. 10 Tennessee at No. 17 North Carolina, ACC/SEC Challenge
No. 10 Tennessee (4-2), after the back-to-back Feast Week losses to Purdue and Kansas, face another test away from home at No. 17 North Carolina (5-1) on Wednesday (7:15 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN) in the ACC/SEC Challenge at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill.
Zeigler, according to Barnes, showed signs of progress on Saturday during a practice after the Vols returned from Hawaii.
“I thought he was really good,” Barnes said. “I think he learned, we talked about things that we need to improve from Maui trip and obviously we need to have consistent, good guard play. Especially at the point position.
“And he knows we’re counting on him to do that. And he’s all about our team. He’s all about winning, but he wants it, he wants it back right now. And he’s more hard on himself than you can imagine. But he’ll get it.”
