Birmingham, Alabama is playing host to SEC Basketball Tipoff ’24 on Wednesday and Thursday as both the men’s and women’s teams from the conference will converge on the city for their respective Media Day events.
Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes was in attendance on Wednesday along with two trustworthy players in Zakai Zeigler and Santiago Vescovi. Both Zeigler and Vescovi project to be stars around the league and for the Volunteers this season.
Zeigler spoke to the media about his return from injury after tearing his ACL last February.
“I am feeling really well,” Zeigler said. “The performance coaches, they are doing their best with me — Chad and G, JD. They all have helped me so much. I feel like I am almost at 100%. I am not there yet. I feel like I am right there, right at the finish line.”
Tennessee has two exhibition games scheduled for the month of October, all leading to the season opener on Rocky Top against Tennessee Tech on Monday, November 6, in Thompson Boling Arena at the Food City Center. The Vols have a healthy mix of returning veterans combined with new transfers and talented freshmen to make a big impact in conference play.
Tennessee will begin the season at No. 9 in the country, the highest ranking among any team in the Southeastern Conference.
More from RTI: Tennessee Basketball Picked To Win Southeastern Conference
Check out both interviews from Wednesday at SEC Media Day in Birmingham below. In addition, click here to watch head coach Rick Barnes’ Media Day interviews from Rocky Top Insider as well.
Guard Zakai Zeigler
Guard Santiago Vescovi
