Zakai Zeigler was named to the All-SEC first team and SEC defensive player of the year for the second straight season. Chaz Lanier was named as the SEC newcomer of the year and was on the All-SEC second team.

Tennessee basketball's Zakai Zeigler is the first player in SEC history to be named to the all-defensive team in four seasons.

Tennessee basketball is in Year 3 of a rebuild under Rick Barnes following the NBA departures of Grant Williams, Admiral Schofield and Jordan Bone. The Vols are facing North Carolina, a Tar Heels squad that will fall just short of a national title to Kansas in a little over 4 months.

Tennessee's Zakai Ziegler repeats as SEC defensive player of the year. The Vols are heading into the SEC tournament as the number four seed and have intentions to be crowned as conference champions by the end of the tournament.