Zakai Zeigler discusses the significance of bouncing back from the Texas A&M defeat with two impressive victories.

Zakai Zeigler discusses the significance of bouncing back from the Texas A&M defeat with two impressive victories.

Zakai Zeigler expressed that he wasn’t surprised by Tennessee’s strong response following their first double-digit loss of the season against Texas A&M last week. Since that defeat, the Vols have showcased two of their most comprehensive performances, securing back-to-back victories over Arkansas and Vanderbilt, each by nearly 30 points.

In the Saturday game against Vanderbilt, all five of Tennessee’s starters achieved double-digit scoring, contributing to an 88-53 triumph. The team displayed an impressive 45.2% accuracy from 3-point range, with Zeigler himself making four shots from deep and finishing with 14 points, five assists, and two steals.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Zeigler attributed the team’s ability to bounce back to its veteran composition, emphasizing the importance of not dwelling on the past but using setbacks as opportunities for growth.

“It’s good,” he said. “Just seeing that we have older guys, we have to be able to do things and not dwell on the last game and not use that to bring us down, but use it to pick us up and see whatever we can learn from it.”

Santiago Vescovi also displayed a bounce-back performance against Vanderbilt, scoring 12 points, hitting 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, and providing five assists after managing just five points in the loss to A&M.

With the regular season entering a critical phase, Tennessee’s strong performances are encouraging for fans. The team, with six games remaining, is currently only one game behind Alabama for first place in the SEC. Tennessee, having defeated Alabama earlier in the year, faces them again in a rematch on March 2.

The veteran presence on the team, as highlighted by Zakai Zeigler, contributes to their resilience. All five starters are upperclassmen, with many having been teammates for several seasons. Zeigler, in his third season in Knoxville, and Vescovi, in his fifth year along with Josiah-Jordan James, bring valuable experience to the team.

With a 19-6 (9-3 SEC) record, Tennessee is in contention for a top seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. As they approach the end of the season, they will focus on facing four ranked teams in their final six games. Their next challenge is against Missouri on the road at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday.