Rick Barnes updates injury status of Tennessee point guard Zakai Zeigler

Zakai Zeigler had an MRI Friday night on his injured right knee that showed no signs of structural damage, according to Tennessee coach Rick Barnes. The eighth-ranked Vols beat No. 5 Florida 64-44 on Saturday afternoon without their senior point guard.

Tennessee (18-4, 5-4 SEC) was also missing senior forward Igor Millicic, who was ruled out during pregame warmups due to an illness. Zeigler and Milicic combine to average 22.7 points, 11.6 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game. 

Zeigler was injured with 2:17 left in the first half of the 78-73 loss to No. 12 Kentucky on Tuesday night, but returned to start the second half and played all 20 minutes after halftime.

“He did get an MRI last night, it showed no structural damage,” Barnes said after the game. “But Chad (Newman) will tell you, I tell him every day, you don’t have to give me a medical report. I don’t care. I am going to coach who is out here. I don’t look at it. I said, you come out and tell me something, I will listen to you.”

Tennessee lost 73-43 at Florida on January 7 in Gainesville — the first loss of the season and the most-lopsided loss of the Barnes era — but rallied to beat the Gators by 20 in Knoxville with just seven scholarship players available.

The Vols started the season with 11 out of a possible 13 scholarships filled and since then have lost sophomore wing Cameron Carr to a midseason transfer and sophomore forward JP Estrella to season-ending foot surgery.

Vols ruled Zakai Zeigler, Igor Milicic out Saturday morning

Zeigler was ruled out Saturday morning after being listed as questionable on the SEC injury report Friday night. Milicic was listed as probable Friday night and was removed from the injury report Saturday morning, before it was announced that he was out just minutes before tipoff against the Gators. 

“Whoever is out here,” Barnes said, “we are going to try and get ready to play. I know that if Zakai could have gone, he would have. Igor came in today and did everything he could to get enough fluids in him. He couldn’t go. He fully wanted to try but he couldn’t.”

Chaz Lanier rallied Tennessee with a team-high 19 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the 3-point line. Jordan Gainey started at point guard and finished with 16 points, five assists and four rebounds.

Felix Okpara had 10 points and eight rebounds, Cade Phillips had seven points, three boards and three blocks and Jahmai Mashack had eight points, eight rebounds and four assists. Darlinstone Dubar finished with four points, five rebounds and three assists while making his first start.

Florida came to Knoxville with the third-best offense in college basketball according to KenPom.com‘s efficiency ratings. 

On Saturday the Gators were held under 70 points for the first time this season — they had scored in the 70s only four times in 20 games — after shooting 24.5% from the floor, 14.8% from three and committing 13 turnovers with just five assists on their 13 made shots.

“Basketball is a crazy game,” Barnes said. “But all tell is we didn’t talk about any of it. Yesterday we came into practice, did what we had to do. And I thought the guys really focused on that, the game plan for the guys that played today.”

Up Next: No. 8 Tennessee vs. No. 20 Missouri, Wednesday

Tennessee concludes a three-game homestand against No. 20 Missouri on Wednesday night (7 Eastern Time, SEC Network. The Tigers (17-4, 6-2) won 88-61 at No. 14 Mississippi State on Saturday, their six win over their last seven games.

Zeigler didn’t practice Thursday or Friday and Milicic missed Friday practice.

Barnes said it was senior guard Jahmai Mashack who set the tone for the shorthanded Vols at the conclusion of practice Friday afternoon. 

“When they gathered at the circle to get done,” Barnes said, “Jahmai Mashack looked at everyone and said, ‘Hey, we got enough right here. We got enough right here to get done what we need to get done if we’ll stick together, carry out the game plan, do what we’re talking about here.’ 

“And I’m as proud of these guys as any team since I’ve been here because of the way that they prepared for it and believe that they knew they could go out and get a win.”