Kentucky defeated Tennessee twice during the regular season, but point guard Zakai Zeigler was determined to enact revenge on Friday night.
True to that promise, Zeigler put on a dazzling display at Lucas Oil Stadium, recording a game-high 18 points and 10 assists to go along with one rebound and one steal in a 78-65 Volunteers victory, advancing them to the Elite Eight.
“We wanted to set the tone and show them who we are,” Zeigler said after the game, via Sports Illustrated. “We knew regardless of what had happened, we were going to go out and play Tennessee basketball on the offensive and defensive end, and I feel like we did that great tonight.”
What Zeigler did on the court was impressive. What he did leaving the court wasn’t.
As Zeigler and his teammates headed back to the locker room, he appeared to lose composure for a moment and acted in a rather classless manner.
Tennessee’s Zakai Zeigler and teammates celebrate the win over Kentucky pic.twitter.com/SPp36YzXDf
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) March 29, 2025
The only thing worse than being a sore loser is being a sore winner.
After such an impressive performance, arguably solidifying himself as the best point guard in the country, Zeigler’s actions were beneath him. It soured the moment and cast Zeigler into a negative light.
It wasn’t the first time Zeigler made waves during the NCAA Tournament, either. He also caused a stir following a victory over UCLA when he posed for a photo, giving the middle finger to a Kentucky logo.
Emotions may run high in those moments, but Zeigler should rise above them.
