Rick Barnes: Igor Milicic, Zakai Zeigler returned to Tennessee practice on Monday

Tennessee Basketball was back closer to full strength at practice on Monday according to head coach Rick Barnes. During his weekly appearance on The Vol Network’s ‘Vol Calls’ Monday night, Barnes said both Igor Milicic Jr. and Zakai Zeigler were in practice earlier in the day.

Both players missed No. 4 Tennessee’s 64-44 win over No. 6 Florida on Saturday. Milicic was out due to an illness and Zeigler was sidelined by the right knee injury he suffered late in the first half of Tuesday’s game against Kentucky.

Barnes described Zeigler as somewhat limited during Monday’s practice.

“Igor practiced today,” Barnes said. “‘Z’, a little bit in and out, but I do think he’ll be ready.”

Tennessee (18-4, 5-4 SEC) hosts No. 15 Missouri (17-4, 6-2) on Wednesday (7 p.m. Eastern Time, TV: SEC Network) at Food City Center.

Zeigler said Sunday night during an appearance on The Locker Room TV show that he’ll play against the Tigers.

“I’m good,” Zeigler said. “I’ll be back next game. Simple as that.”

Zakai Zeigler: ‘I was a little banged up and it was bothering me’

Zeigler was injured with 2:17 left in the first half of the 78-73 loss to Kentucky last week, but returned to start the second half and played all 20 minutes after halftime.

He didn’t practice Thursday or Friday and was ruled out for the Florida game on Saturday morning, after being listed as questionable on the SEC Injury Report on Friday night.

“I was a little banged up and it was bothering me,” Zeigler said, “had some number stuff that was going on with the strength coach that was a little off. And I was in some pain, but I’ll be back next game.”

Barnes said during his postgame press conference on Saturday that Zeigler had an MRI Friday night and it showed no structural damage. Both Zeigler and senior forward Igor Milicic Jr. (illness) missed Saturday’s win, leaving the Vols with just seven scholarship players available.

Zeigler and Milicic combine to average 22.7 points, 11.6 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game.

Whoever is out here,” Barnes said after the game, “we are going to try and get ready to play. I know that if Zakai could have gone, he would have. Igor came in (Saturday morning) and did everything he could to get enough fluids in him. He couldn’t go. He fully wanted to try but he couldn’t.”

Zeigler was a constant presence at the end of the Tennessee bench on Saturday afternoon, standing in the corner and meeting his teammates when they came off the floor after timeouts or substitutions.

Up Next: No. 4 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Missouri, Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

Barnes described Zeigler as an extension of the coaching staff, given his experience running Tennessee’s system over the last four years.

It’s a great thing to have, because if you’re at walkthrough, they talk about it,” Barnes said. “We were talking about some of (Florida’s) actions they run. He is not afraid to say, ‘I think we need to do this.’ But the best part about it is, his teammates trust him. He’s engaged. He could be a coach. He certainly can coach our system. He understands what we’re looking for.”

Zeigler missing Saturday’s game snapped a streak of 51 straight starts. It was the first Tennessee game he had missed in his career outside of the torn ACL he suffered in the final home game of the 2022-23 season.

“It got to me the day before a little bit that I couldn’t play in the game,” Zeigler said. “And going through all the film sessions and everything, the night before it was bothering me some (thinking) I might not play.

“And then being out there, I was just like, I got to just take it on the chin. There’s nothing I can really do at this point and I just gotta have my brother’s back because I know they’re going to go out there and do whatever they could do.”

No. 4 Tennessee will have Zakai Zeigler and Igor Milicic Jr. available against No. 15 Missouri on Wednesday night for the 7 p.m. Eastern Time start (TV: SEC Network) at Food City Center. Neither player was listed on the SEC Injury Report Tuesday night.

Trent Burns was the only player listed as out for Missouri.

Both Zeigler and Milicic missed the 64-44 win over No. 6 Florida on Saturday in Knoxville. Zeigler was sidelined by the right knee injury he suffered late in the first half of the 78-73 loss to Kentucky last Tuesday and Milicic was out due to an illness.

Zeigler was downgraded from questionable Friday night to out Saturday morning. Milicic, who was listed as probable on the initial Florida injury report, was made available early Saturday, but was ruled out during pregame warmups.

Tennessee had just seven scholarship players available vs. Florida

Head coach Rick Barnes said during The Vol Network’s ‘Vol Calls’ on Monday night that both players had returned to practice Monday afternoon.

“Igor practiced today,” Barnes said. “‘Z’, a little bit in and out, but I do think he’ll be ready.”

Assistant coach Gregg Polinsky added Tuesday that both players were on track to return for Tennessee (18-4, 5-4 SEC) against Missouri (17-4, 6-2).

“They both practiced yesterday in somewhat limited amounts,” Polinksy said before Tuesday’s practice at Food City Center. “But as always our performance (staff) and Chad (Newman) have done a heck of a job, and those guys (the players) getting themselves back.”

Zeigler was injured with 2:17 left in the first half against Kentucky, but retuned to the game to start the second half and played all 20 minutes after halftime. He didn’t practice Thursday or Friday, though.

“I was a little banged up and it was bothering me,” Zeigler said Sunday night during an appearance on The Locker Room, “had some number stuff that was going on with the strength coach that was a little off. And I was in some pain, but I’ll be back next game.”

Zakai Zeigler on Sunday: ‘I’m good. I’ll be back next game’

Zeigler and Milicic combine to average 22.7 points, 11.6 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game. Their absence on Saturday left Tennessee with just seven scholarship players available against Florida.

The Vols started the season with 11 scholarship players out of a possible 13. Since then they have lost sophomore wing Cameron Carr to a midseason transfer to Baylor and sophomore forward JP Estrella, who had season-ending foot surgery in late November.

Zeigler announced his own return for the Missouri game during his TV appearance Sunday night.

“I’m good,” Zeigler said on The Locker Room. “I’ll be back next game. Simple as that.”