Well it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.
I’ve tried for five years get the nickname “Zip” to stick for Zakai Zeigler and as he stepped onto the court inside Thompson Boling Arena for the final time on Saturday, it was still just Blank photographer Bill Foster and I and a couple of other Blank folks using the moniker. “I think it might be time to give up,” Foster whispered. “You gave it a good try.”
This was a day of endings in many ways.
Not only was it the final home game for senior mainstays like Ziegler, Grant Hurst and recently adorned hero Jahmai Mayshack, it was also the last regular season collegiate game for transfers Igor Milicic, Darlinstone Dubar, Jordan Gainey and Chaz Lanier. I had just figured out how to spell everyone’s name without looking at the game notes. Well, most everyone.
It also marked the final game for Vol commentators Bob Kesling and Burt Bertelkamp.
The air was not heavy at tipoff, though. It was business as usual for the Vols early, who came into the game nursing an upset loss to Ole Miss in Oxford on Wednesday.
While three of the number one seeds in the NCAA Tournament seem to be locked up (in Auburn, Houston and Duke), the fourth and final spot is still up for grabs, and though it looked at tipoff as though the reptiles from Gainesville had a slight edge in regards to that coveted seeding, the Vols did their part to stay in the hunt. Barely.
The opening tip landed in the hands of Zeigler, as it has so many times over the years, and he got his first assist on a Milicic three to open the festivities. Mayshack hit his first three of the day about a minute and a half later then got two offensive rebounds in a row to keep the Vols next possession alive. Milicic scored seconds later on another assist from Zip.
After a couple regrettable minutes of sloppy play, Mayshack hit another three and at the under 12-minute media break, the Vols lead 19-12.
A lot has changed over the past few years in college sports and the departure of so many beloved figures has a way of illuminating the turning tides. When Zip and Shack first put on the orange and white, the Food City Center was just Thompson Boling Arena and players were still being paid the old-fashioned way, in McDonald’s bags. (joke)
Zeigler’s legacy is no laughing matter. His is the ultimate underdog story. In 2022, his childhood home was lost to a fire and a fundraiser was arranged that gathered $350,000 in less than 24 hours to help he, his mother Charmane and his then 4-year-old nephew Nori. That tied Zip and the Vol fanbase together forever and he will go down as one of the most beloved athletes in the Rocky Top lexicon. He is the most accomplished guard in Tennessee history in terms of wins, ranks 2nd in UT history for assists and is the program’s leader in steals.
Mayshack has consistently been overlooked as well. Known mostly for his ferocious intent on the defensive side, on the first day of this month, he hit perhaps the most thrilling shot in Tennessee basketball history to signal that the madness of March was upon us. His game winner against Alabama, a team that was then projected to get that aforementioned number one seed in the tournament, silenced critics who said he didn’t deserve as much playing time. That legendary moment couldn’t have happened to a better player. Mayshack and Ziegler were 60-5 at home as players for the Vols.
As Chappel Roan’s “Hot To Go” blared over the speakers at The Summit during the under 8-minute timeout, Mililicic led all scorers with eight and Zeigler had amassed seven quick assists.
Lanier scored his first points of the afternoon on a three right in front of the South Carolina bench. Lanier has the quickest release of any player in recent Tennessee history. It’s hard to project what his next steps will be in terms of his professional career but his lightning shooting pace will certainly benefit someone out there.
Then something very rare occurred.
A charge.
I’m not being facetious when I say that I can’t remember another charge call during a Tennessee game this season. USC was ready, though, and as Tennessee junior bigman Felix Okpara turned to make an aggressive move to the rim, the South Carolina defender took it to the chest and dropped. The foul started a 7-0 Carolina run that squeezed the Tennessee lead to one at 26-25.
At the under 4-minute break, former UT quarterback and current hypeman Sterl the Pearl gave Kesling a t shirt for the first time ever and the Vols got right for a moment. Sophomore Cade Phillips, who will likely play a huge role for the Vols next season, hit one of two free throws and Gainey grabbed an errant pass on the other end before the Vols ended up hoisting a three at the end of the shot clock. This was a recurring and potentially alarming theme for Tennessee throughout the first half.
South Carolina took its first lead of the game on a three from senior guard Jamarii Thomas. He gave the Gamecocks another lead moments later when he was fouled while shooting a three. He splashed yet another triple with under 20 seconds left in the half to give USC a three-point lead. Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes called timeout and drew up a play that saw Gainey leaving a perfect lob in the hands of Phillips. He crammed it and was fouled in the process. Phillips’ free throw was pure at it was knotted up at 34 going into the half. USC’s Thomas led with 14 points at the break while Phillips matched Milicic’s eight.
At the half, Kesling and Bertlekamp were honored with jerseys with the number 26 on them, seemingly for the first year of their retirement. The prepared video was quite lovely and the standing ovation for the pair was deserved. It will be interesting to see who will join Mike Keith on basketball calls next year and what that person’s version of “Money” will be.
Lanier grabbed a loose ball on the opening possession of the second half but couldn’t do anything with it as his pull up jumper went awry on the other end. South Carolina’s Zachary Davis got loose to score at the rim then Mili hit Okpara for a dunk. This one was being played in the mud, just where South Carolina wanted it.
Tennessee was bailed out of another late clock situation when Gainey got fouled as the shot clock expired, but he missed both free throws. At the time, UT was shooting 36 precent from the line.
Milicic gave the Vols the lead back with 16 minutes to go on an authoritative drive. He made the shot and got fouled. Free throw good.
Lanier hit a couple of shots in the ensuing minutes but Tennessee just couldn’t seem to shake the Cocks.
Gainey put the Vols up 45-42 and the crowd came alive for the first time in what seemed like all season. Lanier got an “&1” next and the Vols led by six. Of course, USC guard Arden Conyers silenced the crowd with a three.
Each team exchanged buckets then Lanier took over. He answered with 8 points in a minute and a half stretch and the contest had officially gone from being played in the mud to being played on open water.
Halfway through the second session, South Carolina had hit 11 of its 12 free throws while Tennessee had hit only six of 13. Lanier had scored 16 points in just ten short minutes but missed a couple costly free tosses.
Dubar hit Phillips on yet another lob dunk and again Phillips was fouled. This stretched the lead to ten with 8:30 remaining.
Okpara got an offensive rebound and his putback dunk made the score 64-52.
It was more of the same for the remainder of the contest and the Tennessee quietly finished its 2024-25 homestand with a 75-65 win. This game was never supposed to be about the score, it was to be a celebration of things past. But if you don’t win the game, you don’t get to celebrate with the same brand of intensity and it sours the whole thing.
In the end, Barnes and the Vols did just enough to get through it. At a few points in the game, he seemed to be more animated and frustrated than he has been in some time. He knows what’s coming.
