Rick Barnes, Zakai Zeigler exchange emotional messages after huge Auburn win
Yesterday at 07:23 PM
The Tennessee Volunteers are on their way to the SEC Tournament championship game after a massive, 70-65 upset win over Auburn who was the No. 1 ranked team in the country. With the win, Tennessee made their own case for a No. 1 seeding in the NCAA Tournament. Following the win, Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes and star player Zakai Zeigler credited one another with being instrumental in the Volunteers' success, as per Camille Gear of WBIR TV.
"I really don't know where I would be," Zeigler said following the win. "I was thinking of quitting basketball around that time. I'm just thankful and blessed that I was given this opportunity."
When told about Zeigler's comments, Barnes couldn't help but get emotional when speaking about his star player.
"It makes me want to cry, because he is. . .I've said it before, I can't even imagine life without him," Barnes said. "If you could have been in the huddle with us, you would understand why cause he was outstanding. . .he's been a great blessing for me and I just thank God for bringing our lives together."
In Tennessee's win against Auburn to reach the SEC Tournament championship game, Zakai Zeigler finished with a team-high 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal and one blocked shot in 35 minutes. He shot 5-of-11 from the field and perfect 9-of-9 from the free-throw line.
Zeigler has played all four of his college basketball seasons at Tennessee, a rarity in today's age of the transfer portal. This season, he averaged 13.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.9 steals with splits of 40.4 percent shooting from the field, 31.9 percent shooting from the three-point line and 78.2 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Rick Barnes has been Tennessee's head coach in each of Zeigler's seasons. Since he took over ahead of the 2015-16 season, he's complied a record of 227-106. In eight seasons, he's led the Volunteers to six NCAA Tournament appearances.
Saturday's win against Auburn was a redemption of sorts for Tennessee after the Tigers clinched the top overall record in the SEC with their end of the season win against the Volunteers.
The post Rick Barnes, Zakai Zeigler exchange emotional messages after huge Auburn win appeared first on ClutchPoints.
