Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes expressed initial concern over Zakai Zeigler’s right knee injury at halftime during the Vols’ 78-73 loss to No. 12 Kentucky on Tuesday. However, following the game, Barnes confirmed that medical staff had cleared Zeigler to play in the second half.
“It was sound, or else he wouldn’t have played,” Barnes said. “They checked him out, and they said it was all fine. He might have felt a sprain or something, but stability-wise, it was all good.”
Zeigler suffered the injury with 2:17 remaining in the first half after driving to the basket and appearing to hyperextend his right knee. The senior guard immediately limped off the court and into the locker room, prompting concerns over a potential recurrence of his previous knee injury.
Before exiting, Zeigler had two points, two rebounds, and three assists. He was fouled on the play by Kentucky’s Kobe Brea, forcing Tennessee to substitute Jahmai Mashack, while Kentucky selected Felix Okpara to shoot Zeigler’s free throws. Okpara missed both, but the Wildcats retained possession, leading to a Jordan Gainey three-pointer that helped Tennessee claim its first lead at 33-30.
Zeigler Returns for Second Half, Plays Full 20 Minutes
Despite concerns, Zeigler returned for the second half and played the entire 20 minutes, finishing with 13 points, six assists, and five rebounds. However, he struggled offensively, shooting 5-for-18 from the field and 1-for-11 from three-point range.
Barnes credited Zeigler’s determination to return. “He said he felt like he could go,” the Tennessee coach said.
The Vols, now 17-4 overall and 4-4 in SEC play, battled back from an 11-point deficit in the final minutes but ultimately fell short against Kentucky (15-5, 4-3 SEC).
Zeigler is averaging 12.3 points and 7.4 assists per game this season. Tennessee will closely monitor his status as the team looks to rebound in its upcoming conference matchups.
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