Sports

Tennessee Point Guard Forcibly Restrained After Slapping Fan’s Phone During Full-Blown Crash Out

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Zakai Zeigler Ole Miss Fight Phone Students
© Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Tennessee star Zakai Zeigler crashed out hard after a loss to Ole Miss on Wednesday. He had to be forcibly restrained by multiple staffers during a tense exchange with the student section.

That might make it sound a lot worse than it was, but it was not a good look nonetheless.

Zeigler, a true fourth-year senior, is one of the better ball-handlers and distributors in college basketball. The 5-foot-9 point guard averages 13.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game this season. That last number is fourth-best in the country. The Vols do not win 24 games without him.

Zeigler is a fiery guy who plays with a chip on his shoulder. It is a large part of what makes him great. However, the emotions can lead to trouble. Things often get confrontational, for example:

Wednesday was perhaps the lowest moment of Zakai Zeigler’s career and it had nothing to do with his performance. He completely melted down on his way back into the locker room after the loss.

Ole Miss’ student section was fully aware of his temper so they were especially ruthless toward him throughout the entire night. Zeigler, who dished out 15 assists, went only 2-for-9 from the field. Tennessee lost by two. The Vols were frustrated. The Rebels were fired up.

Zeigler let his emotions get the best of him when a student stuck a phone in his face as he walked into the tunnel. He swiped at the phone and knocked it to the ground.

I completely understand why Zakai Zeigler was upset. I would not be thrilled if a hostile college kid held a phone up to my face on the heels of a demoralizing defeat. Nobody is going to feel good about it. I can imagine that some of the things yelled in his direction were rather obscene. I would also want to throw hands!

With that being said, it is kind of part of the deal… You can want to fight the student section, but you cannot act upon that desire. You lost. Take your lumps. Head down. Move on.

Zeigler did not subscribe to that thinking. Multiple staffers had to pull him away from the scene and direct him toward the locker room before it got out of hand.

The deescalation efforts were a success. Nothing got out of hand. Zakai Zeigler was unharmed. Ole Miss students eventually stormed the court to celebrate the win. Tennessee returned home to Knoxville.