Tennessee Basketball Loses Star Point-Guard Zakai Zeigler To Torn ACL
The Tennessee basketball team confirmed some tough news on Wednesday. Point guard Zakai Ziegler has suffered a torn ACL.
During Tuesday night's game with Arkansas, Zeigler went down just three minutes into the contest with a non-contact injury. As he was trying to deliver a pass along the baseline, he landed awkwardly on his leg, then immediately went down in pain.
After multiple tests, the news delivered to Zakai Zeigler, who is beloved by the Tennessee fan base, was less than ideal. This will certainly hurt the Vols down the stretch, heading towards the NCAA Tournament. Even though the injury was tough for the players when it first happened last night, the team went on to destroy Arkansas, playing some of their best basketball of the season.
Zakai Zeigler #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Zakai Zeigler was averaging almost twelve points per game and five assists. Now, it's up to Rick Barnes to decide how he will move forward with his lineup.
"Point guard Zakai Zeigler suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during Tuesday night's win
over Arkansas. The injury ends the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist's
season. The Tennessee basketball family joins all of Vol Nation in lifting up Zakai. We know-beyond all doubt-that Zakai will use this challenge to author an inspiring comeback story. He'll have our boundless backing every step of the way," Tennessee said in a statement.
If you've heard the name Zakai Zeigler off the court, it was likely due to the inspiring story of the Tennessee fan base. After his family lost their house in New York due to a fire, the Vols fan base, along with college basketball fans, rallied to raise over $350,000 for his family.
Due to the outpouring of love, his family was able to relocate to Knoxville and a new house was built. I think it's safe to say that the college basketball community will once again rise to the occasion to support Zeigler during this tough time.