Countless hearts dropped in the first half of the Tennessee basketball game against Kentucky. In the middle of the action, point guard Zakai Zeigler, a fan favorite for the Vols, went down with what looked to be a serious knee injury.
Zeigler was in a ton of pain and didn't hesitate in going back to the locker room. Rick Barnes even said during his halftime presser that he was worried about his stud playmaker. However, Zeigler was seen riding on a bike and warming up for the second half.
In even better news for Barnes and the Vols, ESPN's Molly McGrath just provided an incredible update. That update was that Zeigler was evaluated by team doctors/trainers and it was quickly determined that he didn't need to undergo an X-ray. Not only that, but Zeigler is also back out on the floor to start the second half.
Zakai Zeigler is set to play in the second half, according to Moll McGrath’s report.#Vols fans can collectively take a breath.
— Parker Kelley (@parker_kelley10) January 29, 2025
Tennessee basketball avoided a serious injury with star PG Zakai Zeigler
As soon as Zeigler went down, panic arrived for Tennessee basketball fans everywhere. Zeigler is going to be needed for this team to not only make noise in the SEC Tournament, but also the Big Dance as well. This has the makings of a year to remember for this team, with Zeigler playing a huge role in things.
Luckily, this looks like it's just going to end up being an injury scare for Tennessee and nothing more. Time and time again, Zeigler has come up big for the Vols and he's one of the main players Barnes is able to rely on each night.
Entering the showdown against the Wildcats, Zeigler was averaging 12.3 points and 7.5 assists per game. He's no question one of the best players in the SEC and he's also one of the best defensive standouts in the country. Thankfully, he's going to be just fine.