Lanier Named AP First Team All-SEC, Zeigler a Second-Teamer

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men's basketball team is the only one with two honorees on the Associated Press (AP) All-SEC Team, as revealed Tuesday morning.

Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier is among five AP First Team All-SEC selections, while senior guard Zakai Zeigler is an AP Second Team All-SEC designee.

One day ago, Zeigler claimed First Team All-SEC and Defensive Player of the Year status from the league's head coaches, while Lanier collected Second Team All-SEC and Newcomer of the Year plaudits.

This is the second season in a row Tennessee has the most AP All-SEC players of any team in the league. Last year, three of the 11 honorees were Volunteers.

Lanier is averaging 17.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game in his first campaign at Tennessee. He spent the first four years of his career at North Florida, where he was First Team All-Atlantic Sun in 2023-24.

The 6-foot-5, 207-pounder is shooting 40.5 percent from 3-point range, third-best in the SEC. His 105 total made 3-pointers and 3.39 makes per game both pace the conference, as well as place in the top 10 at the Division I level.

A native of Nashville, Tenn., Lanier is a Wooden Award Top 15 National Ballot member, alongside Zeigler. The SEC's fifth-leading scorer is also a finalist for the Jerry West Award, presented to the nation's premier shooting guard.

Zeigler is averaging 13.1 points, 7.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game in his fourth and final campaign on Rocky Top. His assist average is fifth-best in the country and, for the third year in a row, atop the SEC.

The Long Island, N.Y., native is now a three-time AP Second Team All-SEC performer, although he garnered first-team status from the league's coaches in two of those seasons (2023-24 and 2024-25). His 696 career assists and 239 career steals rank fourth and No. 11, respectively, in conference history.

Zeigler is a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the best point guard in the country. The 5-foot-9, 172-pounder is rated as the No. 10 player nationally by EvanMiya.com, while placing just outside the top 10 on KenPom.com.

Lanier, Zeigler and No. 8/6 Tennessee (25-6, 12-6 SEC) begin SEC Tournament competition, after a double-bye, Friday at 3:30 p.m. against a to-be-determined team at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., live on ESPN.

To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.

2024-25 ASSOCIATED PRESS MEN'S BASKETBALL AWARDS

Coach of the Year: Bruce Pearl, Auburn
Player of the Year: Johni Broome, Auburn
Newcomer of the Year: Tre Johnson, Texas

FIRST TEAM
u-Johni Broome, Auburn
Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
Tre Johnson, Texas
Chaz Lanier, Tennessee
Mark Sears, Alabama

SECOND TEAM
Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State
Mark Mitchell, Missouri
Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina
Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee

u = unanimous pick

AP All-SEC Voting Panel: Kirk Bohls, Houston Chronicle; Rick Bozich, WDRB-TV; Travis Brown, Bryan-College Station Eagle; Michael Casagrande, AL.com; David Cloninger, The Post and Courier; Mike Griffith, Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Brian Holland, Louisiana First News; Matt Jones, Arkansas Democrat Gazette; Michael Katz, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal; Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star; David Paschall, Chattanooga Times Free Press; Henry Patton, Opelika-Auburn News; Benjamin Rosenberg, The Commercial Dispatch; Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel; Lauren Walsh, WSMV-TV; Mason Young, Tulsa World.

University of Tennessee Athletics

Lanier Named AP First Team All-SEC, Zeigler a Second-Teamer

Players Mentioned

Chaz Lanier

Zakai Zeigler

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