Tennessee PG Zakai Zeigler misses Thursday practice due to knee injury
Zakai Zeigler did not practice Thursday because of the knee injury he suffered in the first half against Kentucky on Tuesday night, but head coach Rick Barnes said Friday afternoon that he expects Tennessee’s senior point guard to be available for Saturday’s game against Florida.
“He did not practice yesterday,” Barnes said before Friday’s practice. “I just walked in the building and haven’t heard where he’s at. My gut feel is, knowing him, that he’ll be ready to play.”
Barnes was also asked if there was any concern for Zeigler’s injury after he did not practice Thursday.
“No,” Barnes said. “Not at all. Not one bit.”
Zeigler was injured with 2:17 left in the first half against Kentucky, immediately left the game and went to the Tennessee locker room, but returned after halftime and played all 20 minutes in the second half of the 78-73 loss.
Zeigler drove to the rim and his right knee appeared to buckle awkwardly and he fell to the floor after being fouled.
“Obviously (it was) something that bothered him,” Barnes said during his postgame press conference, on Tuesday, “because he would never do what he did, going straight back (to the locker room).”
Zakai Zeigler returned to play all 20 minutes in second half vs. Kentucky
Zeigler didn’t return for the final two minutes of the first half. The ESPN broadcast later reported that Zeigler was on a stationary bike in the tunnel after having the knee looked at.
“For him to run off the court it worries me,” Barnes told ESPN as he left the floor at halftime, “because I have never seen him do that. I would expect him to bounce right back up (when he went down). It’s something for him to do that, I’m worried about it.”
Top 10
- 1
Shilo Sanders
Compares himself to Donald Trump
- 2
Bill Belichick
Sending pizza to frats ahead of UNC vs. Duke
- 3
Big Ten reversing course
Courting private equity bids
- 4
Emeka Egbuka
'Never got the credit he deserved'
- 5Hot
Pearl needles Alabama
Auburn coach had to say it
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
Barnes said he didn’t see any change in the way Zeigler played in the second half after suffering the injury.
“He said he felt like he could go,” Barnes said.
Zeigler finished with 13 points, six assists and four rebounds in a team-high 35 minutes.
“He tweaked his knee a little bit,” Barnes said of the injury. “… It’s sound or he wouldn’t have played. He said it was all sound.”
Zakai Zeigler suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in February 2023
Zeigler’s knee injury against Kentucky was to his right knee. Zeigler suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in February 2023 in the final home game of the 2022-23 season, but returned in time to start the 2023-24 season.
Zeigler entered Tuesday night’s game averaging 12.3 points, 7.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 34.3 minutes per game, all career-best numbers. He had 14 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals in Tennessee’s 53-51 loss at No. 1 Auburn Saturday night.
After tearing his ACL in February 2023, Zeigler returned to average 31.6 minutes per game, starting 30 times in 36 games during the 2023-24 season.
Barnes on Tuesday described the injury scare against Kentucky as “a sprain or something like that,” but Zeigler was cleared by Tennessee’s medical staff.
“Stability wise,” Barnes said, “they checked out while he was back there and it was all fine.”
