Tennessee basketball is moving on to the SEC Tournament semifinals after a dominant second-half performance led by Zakai Zeigler. Tennessee ended the Longhorns' SEC Tournament run with a 83-72 win.
The Vols' locker room leader sat most of the first half after quickly getting two fouls but led Tennessee to an explosive second half to build a double-digit lead on the Longhorns.
Zeigler finished the game with 19 points and 6 assists in a big-time second-half performance. The 19-point second-half performance was exactly what they needed to secure the win. He also broke the program record for most assists in a season with 228 assists.
While Zeigler dominated the second half, Chaz Lanier led the team in scoring thanks to a 19-point first half. He finished the game with 23 points.
Jahmai Mashack also played a pivotal role in the win. Whether defending the glass, spreading the ball around, or scoring, he played every role Rick Barnes and the Vols needed him to, again proving to share the Vols' MVP responsibility in another big game in March.
It was a full team effort for the Vols, with every player playing a specific role in the win. Whether on offense or defense, wings or bigs, everyone bought in on the game plan, and the Vols flourished in the second half as a result.
Tennessee now moves on to a semifinal matchup with No. 1 Auburn. The Tigers survived Ole Miss in their semifinal game 62-57, but the Rebels outscored Auburn in the second half, threatening a shocking upset.
The Vols and Tigers will start Saturday's semifinal slate in the SEC Tournament with a 1:00 PM ET tip-off. The winner will earn a spot in the SEC Tournament Championship Game.