Zakai Zeigler is the SEC Defensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season.
The 5-foot-9 Tennessee senior guard was named the top defensive player by the league's head coaches on Monday after leading the Vols' top-ranked defense with 58 steals during the regular season.
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Zeigler, who was also tabbed First Team All-SEC for the second time in his career and on the SEC All-Defensive Team for the fourth time, headlined a Tennessee defense that ranked first in defensive efficiency and seventh nationally in scoring defense.
Zeigler is the only player in the history of the conference to earn four SEC All-Defensive Team honors during his career. He is the third player to be named SEC Defensive Player of the Year multiple times.
On offense, Zeigler averaged 13.1 points on 39.5% shooting, 7.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds. He scored 14 or more points in 11 conference games.
Chaz Lanier tabbed SEC Newcomer of the Year
For the second-straight season, Tennessee was paced offensively by a transfer portal addition.
Chaz Lanier, who played the previous three seasons at North Florida, was named the SEC Newcomer of the Year after leading the Vols in scoring with 17.9 points on 43.2% shooting.
He ranked first in the league with 3.4 three-point shots made per game and became just the third player in program history to make 100 or more 3-pointers in a single season, joining Chris Lofton and Santiago Vescovi.
Lanier was named to the All-SEC Second Team.
Jahamai Mashack an SEC All-Defensive Team selection
Regarded as one of the best defenders in college basketball, Jahamai Mashack joined Zeigler on the SEC All-Defensive Team.
One of three seniors in Tennessee's starting backcourt, Mashack held opposing players to 32.8% shooting, and limited All-SEC scorers to 36.0% field-goal shooting, according to Synergy.
Mashack had 49 steals and 19 blocks during the regular season and totaled two or more steals in 14 games. He had four-plus steals in four outings.
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