In the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, the University of Tennessee basketball team is set to compete against St. Peter’s. This game is noteworthy because Zakai Zeigler, the point guard for Tennessee, will be playing against his younger half-brother, who is a freshman at St. Peter’s.
The Tennessee men’s basketball team secured the No. 2 seed in the Midwest region of the NCAA tournament following Selection Sunday. They are matched up against the 15-seeded St. Peter’s for their first game. St. Peter’s made headlines last season by reaching the elite eight, surprising many fans and analysts.
Zakai Zeigler, the point guard for Tennessee, finds himself in a unique situation as he faces St. Peter’s. His younger half-brother, Armoni Zeigler, is a freshman on the opposing team. Despite Tennessee’s loss to Mississippi State in the SEC tournament quarterfinals, they were projected as a No. 2 seed. The brothers, who once played together in high school, will now compete against each other in Charlotte, aiming to move forward in the tournament.
Armoni stands tall at 6’4″, overshadowing his older brother Zakai, who is 5’9″. Despite the height difference, Zakai is known for his ability to play bigger than his size. Armoni is the only true freshman on the Peacock’s roster. In his debut season, he has made a significant impact, averaging 6.4 points per game, securing 29 steals, and even featuring in a SportsCenter top 10 highlight with an impressive dunk against Manhattan.
The brothers are set to compete on Thursday, March 21, in the first round of March Madness in Charlotte, N.C. The exact time for the tip-off is yet to be determined.
In a notable first-round matchup in the NCAA Tournament, Zakai Zeigler will face his brother Armoni Zeigler. Armoni, a true freshman at St. Peter’s, has had a remarkable season, including plays that landed him on Sports Center’s Top-10 list.