Zakai Zeigler got hurt at the end of the first half for Tennessee Tuesday night. That became a devastating impact due to the Vols’ lack of help from players who should be reliable when it comes to shooting from the outside. Nobody else was able, or willing, to step up.
Tennessee, ranked No. 8 in both polls, fell to Kentucky, ranked No. 12 in both polls, 78-73 at home Tuesday night. UK snapped a two-game losing streak, and the Vols are in the midst of their first two-game losing streak of the year due to this loss.
UT closed out the first half on an 11-0 run to go into the locker room with a 33-30 lead, but the Vols allowed UK to take over in the second half. A huge reason of that was Zeigler’s injury and the fact that the players who are supposed to be scorers on this team once again collapsed.
Chaz Lanier, the face of this program who is supposed to be a superstar, did score 15 points, but he went 5-of-14 from the field and 3-of-10 from the three-point line in the process. Although Igor Milicic Jr. did score 19 points, he missed all of his attempts in the final five minutes.
Meanwhile, Darlinstone Dubar, who refused to go up for a shot on an iso play designed for him at the end of the first half against the Auburn Tigers on Saturday, failed to take advantage of more minutes Saturday. He had just seven points while going 1-of-7 from three.
Now, to be fair, Zeigler was an abysmal 1-of-11 from the three-point line, but he got hurt, he scored 13 points, he found so may other ways to score. Nobody should ever question him and what he is able to do. Lanier is the biggest culprit, as he is clearly a choke artist.
Up next for Tennessee is a visit from the Florida Gators, who are No. 5 in the AP Poll and No. 6 in the Coaches Poll. Kentucky, meanwhile, will host the Arkansas Razorbacks, and their former head coach in John Calipari, on Saturday.
