Tennessee point guard Zakai Zeigler is off the SEC availability report and will return to the court as the Vols host No. 15 Missouri at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center on Wednesday night. Forward Igor Milicic Jr is also off the report and will play against the Tigers.
Zeigler missed Tennessee’s win over then-No. 5 Florida on Saturday afternoon with a knee injury that he suffered late in the first half of the Vols’ loss against Kentucky.
The senior point guard stated on Sunday night that he planned on playing against Missouri. He returned to practice on Wednesday in a limited role and then was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice open to the media.
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Zeigler suffered the injury late in the first half of Tennessee’s loss against Kentucky last Tuesday night. He drove hard to the basket and fell to the ground while drawing contact and a foul late. He quickly popped up and speedily limped straight past the Tennessee bench and all the way up the tunnel towards the Vols’ locker room.
Getting Zeigler back on the court is critical for a Tennessee with a lack of other point guards and other depth options. The Vols had just seven scholarship players available against Florida with both Zeigler and Milicic sidelined.
Zeigler is averaging 12.3 points, 7.4 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game this season while adding 2.1 steals per game. Despite struggling to shoot the perimeter this season, Zeigler has still put up solid offensive numbers.
Tipoff between Tennessee and Missouri is at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday night. Roy Philpott and Jimmy Dykes are on the call for the SEC Network.
