Zakai Zeigler had 'zero doubt' Tennessee would get him back to New York, to the Sweet 16

NEW YORK — Zakai Zeigler described it as feeling like a kid again, sitting around watching basketball with his mom. Only this time it wasn’t just any basketball game on the screen in front of him. It was his Tennessee teammates in the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament in Orlando — without him. 

Tennessee’s starting point guard, out since a torn ACL ended his season in the win over Arkansas on February 28, found himself yelling at the TV like he was suddenly coaching for Rick Barnes.

“There was a play Olivier (Nkamhoua) reached and I was like don’t reach,” Zeigler said Wednesday. “He did and they called it for a foul. 

“I was a little jumpy. I shouldn’t have been like that because it messed up my leg a little bit. It  was a little bit painful. It was nerve-wracking but fun at the same time.”

Zeigler was laid up in Knoxville after having ACL surgery on March 13, stuck at home as Tennessee beat Louisiana in the first round on Thursday, then out-toughed Duke in the second round Saturday to reach the Sweet 16.

“I was crutching around,” Zeigler said of his celebration after Tennessee advanced out of the first weekend. “I couldn’t really run or jump or anything. But I was crutching around.”

Zakai Zeigler: “Zero doubt in my mind. I knew we were going to be here from the jump.”

Now he has rejoined No. 4 Tennessee (25-10) for the East Regional semifinal against No. 9 Florida Atlantic (33-3) on Thursday (9 p.m. Eastern Time, TBS) at Madison Square Garden.

After the 65-52 win over Duke on Saturday, it was Nkamhoua that said the first thing that went through his mind after the win was getting Zeigler, the native of Wyandanch, Long Island, back to New York.

“That just put a big smile on my face when I saw that,” Zeigler said of the shoutout from his teammate. “I saw what he said on that video and I saw what he said on TV. I know these guys have my back 100 percent, no matter what.”

Before the surgery, Zeigler traveled everywhere with the Vols, usually trailing just behind the team on a scooter with his leg propped up. He would even be on the floor immediately before tipoffs in the regular-season finale at Auburn or in the SEC Tournament, huddled up Tennessee’s starting five. 

Then the ACL surgery was scheduled — swelling around the injury had to go down before surgery could be performed — and Zeigler knew he would be left behind for the opening weekend of March Madness.

But he never had any doubts he’d be joining his team this weekend, though. He knew the Vols were Sweet 16-bound before they ever tipped off in Orlando.

“I know those guys are going to go out there and do what they need to do. I know that I will be able to go to the Sweet 16. If I am going to miss a weekend, I am going to miss this weekend.”

More importantly, Zeigler knew the road was going to lead Tennessee to a New York reunion.

“Zero doubt in my mind,” Zeigler said, “I knew we were going to be here from the jump.”

Up Next: No. 4 Tennessee vs. No. 9 Florida Atlantic, Sweet 16, Thursday, 9 p.m. ET, TBS

Tennessee players made it their goal in Orlando to do just that. Sophomore wing Jahmai Mashack described it as weird for the team to be together without Zeigler. 

“Somebody that is everywhere,” Mashack said, “that always has a voice, that always has input somewhere. Not having that there was definitely motivation for us trying to get him here, to the next weekend.”

It’s still the motivation for these Vols to get to the next weekend — that one being the Final Four in Houston — not only to make Tennessee basketball program history but to keep Zeigler riding along.

“We’re doing this whole thing for him,” Mashack said. “This whole thing is not about any of us on the team individually, this is about Zakai. We just want to keep moving forward with it and keep him happy and proud.”