This should have been a game that Tennessee would barely break 50 in the Rick Barnes era. The Vols’ leading scorer, Chaz Lanier, was having an off-night, going 2-of-16 from the field with just five points. They shot under 30 percent from three as a team. On top of it all, they were playing a top 25 team that is carried by their defense.
Still, they managed to break the 70-point mark in a 74-56 win over the Georgia Bulldogs, who are ranked No. 23 in both polls. The Vols, who are ranked No. 6 in both polls, can thank the heart and soul of their team in Zakai Zeigler for making sure that happened.
On a night in which Zeigler broke the career record for steals at Tennessee, the Vols used as 30-4 run to beat the Dawgs, which included a 26-4 run to open the second half, to turn a 26-21 deficit into a 51-30 lead. That was all they needed to walk a way with a victory that looked way more comfortable than it was in the first half.
Zeigler was the catalyst for that run. He hit three three-pointers during that stretch, but that’s not what made him great. At the same time, he came away with four steals in that period and dished out five assists, resulting in 11 points. He also had an offensive rebound that set up two free throws made by Igor Milicic Jr., adding two more points.
When you add it all up, Zeigler was directly involved in 20 points of that 30-4 run, and 26 of those points came on the heels of a Zeigler score, assist, rebound or steal. He finished the game with 16 points, seven assists, six steals and a block, proving why Vol fans love him.
Tennessee didn’t just prove it has a guy who can take over when things get tight with Zeigler. It also found other options to score from beyond the three-point line, which was crucial in this game given how Lanier was playing and the fact that Darlinstone Dubar didn’t maintain what he did at the Texas Longhrons.
Jordan Gainey is the standout star of that storyline, as he led the team in scoring with 19 points despite only hitting one three. He was elite in the midrange game and in transition, which is exactly what a player like him needs to be off the bench for the Vols.
Meanwhile, Cade Phillips showed a certain level of necessary aggression off the bench in the post for the Vols, coming away with 10 points. Milicic, to be fair, had nine points, nine rebounds and three steals, and Felix Okpara had three blocks. Still, Phillips was the star in side.
Add in 11 points from Jahmai Mashack, who finally proved to be an offensive threat by hitting all five field goals, and the Vols proved they have enough options if Lanier isn’t hitting. In fact, with Dubar also off, they proved they have options if two of their potential scorers aren’t on, which is a huge edge.
With the win, Tennessee improves to 16-1 and 3-1 in league play. They head to Nashville to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday. Georgia, meanwhile, falls to 14-3 and 2-2 in SEC play and will host the top-ranked Auburn Tigers on Saturday.
