Tennessee Volunteers vs Texas Longhorns Picks and Predictions March 14th 2025

Zakai Zeigler and Tennessee Aim to Take Down Texas in SEC Tournament

Tennessee’s star point guard, Zakai Zeigler, has already made a name for himself as one of the most beloved players in the program’s history. Now, he is on the verge of making history on the court. On Friday, the fourth-seeded Volunteers (25-6) will face the 13th-seeded Texas Longhorns (19-14) in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) tournament in Nashville.

The stakes are high, but for Zeigler, there is an added layer of significance. If he dishes out just four more assists, he will set a new Tennessee single-season record with 228, surpassing Rodney Woods’ mark from the 1974-75 season. And unlike Woods, who had the legendary Bernard King and Ernie Grunfeld to feed, Zeigler has carved his own path to greatness.

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Zeigler’s Journey from Underdog to Star

At 5-foot-9, Zeigler has always had to prove himself against bigger competition. His path to Tennessee was far from conventional. Four years ago, his only college offers came from Bryant and Saint Peter’s, and they came with a “commit now or lose it” condition. However, everything changed after he caught national attention at a Peach Jam tournament game in Augusta, Georgia.

That night, he hit seven three-pointers, and suddenly, his name was on everyone’s radar. Tennessee took a chance on him, and it has paid off in a big way. This season, he has been a leader for the Volunteers, averaging 13.1 points and 7.5 assists per game.

Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes, who has a reputation for turning undersized guards into stars, saw something special in Zeigler from the start. Barnes has worked with great point guards before, including Boogie McIntyre at Clemson and T.J. Ford at Texas. Zeigler fits right into that lineage.

“He just plays at a high level,” Barnes said. “Seems like he never gets tired.”

His energy and playmaking ability have been crucial to Tennessee’s success, and as the team heads into the SEC Tournament, they will lean on him more than ever.

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Tennessee’s Strengths: A Balanced Attack and Stifling Defense

Tennessee has built its success this season on both ends of the floor. With Zeigler running the offense, the Volunteers rank 19th in Division I in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.6, meaning they take care of the ball and make smart plays.

Chaz Lanier leads the team in scoring, averaging 17.9 points per game, while Jordan Gainey (10.9 ppg) and Igor Milicic (10.2 ppg) add depth to the attack. Tennessee’s ability to spread the floor and create scoring opportunities makes them a dangerous opponent.

Defensively, the Volunteers have been just as impressive. Their physical style of play allows them to dominate in rim protection, ranking 17th in the nation with an average of 5.1 blocked shots per game. Their defensive intensity will be a key factor in Friday’s game, especially against a Texas team that has fought hard to reach this stage.

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Can Texas Handle the Pressure?

Texas has taken a much different path to the quarterfinals. The Longhorns are coming off a grueling 94-89 double-overtime victory against Texas A&M in the second round. Friday’s game will be their third in as many days, a tough test for a team trying to stay fresh.

Freshman sensation Tre Johnson was the hero against Texas A&M, leading the way with 20 points. He struggled with his shooting, making just 8 of 21 shots, but his clutch three-pointer in the second overtime gave Texas the lead for good at 87-85.

Despite logging heavy minutes—38 in the first round against Vanderbilt and 44 in the second round against Texas A&M—Johnson insists he is ready to go again.

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“The biggest thing for me is getting a good night’s rest,” Johnson said. “I got a lot of gas in the tank. I wasn’t too tired out there, especially going double overtime. Haven’t done that before.”

Johnson is averaging 20.1 points per game while shooting 42.7% from the field. If he can muster another big performance, Texas could find itself in position for an NCAA Tournament bid—an outcome that seemed unlikely just a week ago after the Longhorns lost their regular-season finale to Oklahoma.

Texas head coach Rodney Terry believes his team has the momentum to make a deep run.

“We have star power,” he said. “We’re playing well. I think all that matters.”

What’s at Stake?

The winner of this game will advance to Saturday’s semifinal to face either top-seeded Auburn or eighth-seeded Ole Miss. For Tennessee, it is another opportunity to prove they are one of the best teams in the country. For Texas, it is a chance to fight their way into the NCAA Tournament conversation.

Both teams have something to play for, but the biggest storyline remains Zeigler’s quest to make history. If he breaks the assist record, it will be yet another milestone in what has already been a remarkable career.

Expect an intense battle as Zeigler and the Volunteers look to overpower a resilient Texas squad in a must-watch SEC quarterfinal showdown.