Not 1 but 2: Tennessee has pair of nation's top defenders for March Madness
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Mindset, approach and toughness all are qualities a top defender must have in any sport. Add in long arms and speed, and that player can be quite a stopper.
The Tennessee Volunteers have not one, but two such defenders in Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack. Both were among the four finalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award announced Friday by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
That makes the Midwest Region's No. 2 seed the only program with two of four finalists.
Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner, also at Rupp Arena playing in the South Region against No. 1 overall seed Auburn, is a finalist who embraces the often ignored part of the game that helps in the NCAA Tournament. Houston's Joseph Tugler is the other finalist.
'There is one Serbian coach that says this all the time,' UCLA guard Lazar Stefanovic said. 'He won a lot of titles, and he says, 'I've yet to walk in the gym and go in stance and start playing defense. Everybody grabs the ball and starts shooting.' That's how it is, that's what the game is, you try to score.'
Not Zeigler or Mashack.
They thrive on shutting down opponents, picking the ball away no matter how tightly held, diving after loose balls, shutting down a top scorer 1-on-1 or creating havoc that shuts down the other team's offense.
Coach Rick Barnes says it's nice both have been recognized for what they do every day, whether it's a game, timeout or practice. Their relentless intensity filters throughout Tennessee's roster, which Barnes called a talent that not all players bring.
'It's in their DNA,' Barnes said. 'I wish I could give it to everybody, where they really understand how important that part of the game is, they understand how to fix so much when their teammates make mistakes, they can cover up. And not only do their job, but their voice is important.'
The duo is key to the Volunteers' smothering defense that is among the best in the country.
Tennessee came into this tournament having led the Southeastern Conference allowing just 63 points a game and limiting opponents to 38.4% shooting — fourth-stingiest in the nation. They also led the SEC defending 3s, holding teams to 28.2% shooting to rank third in the country.
Senior guard Jordan Gainey said the Vols all know how great Zeigler and Mashack are as defenders and how big of an impact they make. He appreciates their leadership the most, making clear since this team started work last offseason to get to this month what is expected from every teammate.
'Our new guys that came here, they knew as soon as they set foot on campus what we really wanted to do and they brought everything they could,' Gainey said.
Forward Felix Okpara says Zeigler and Mashack set the standard on defense.
'Having two guys on the team that can do that, it makes our job way easier, just focusing on rebounding and just being in our gaps,' Okpara said.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin wanted to recruit Mashack but just didn't have a scholarship available coming off the Bruins' Final Four berth in 2021. Mashack played in high school with Jaylen Clark, now an NBA rookie with Minnesota.
Now Cronin and his seventh-seeded Bruins (23-10) get to see that defense up close Saturday night with a Sweet 16 berth on the line against the Vols (28-7).
'When he went to Tennessee, I knew it was a great fit for him,' Cronin said of Mashack.
___
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
recommended
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
Some fans question US readiness for 2026 World Cup after Club World Cup experience
Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Lifelong soccer fan Victor Dumois expressed concern about the United States co-hosting the 2026 World Cup after attending a recent Club World Cup match in Miami. 'I think after the Copa America, a weird phenomenon has occurred here," said Dumois, who is from Spain. 'There's people that don't like the World Cup being in the United States.' The Copa America championship game last year in Miami was a security nightmare, with overheated and ticketless fans breaking down the barriers at Hard Rock Stadium to get inside. Eventually the game was played, although some paying customers never were able to get to their seats because they were occupied. Some cited the debacle as one example of how unprepared the United States is to host soccer's biggest tournament. Fast-forward to this summer and the 32-team Club World Cup hosted solely in the United States. Dumois said security was tight this time around — almost to a fault. 'In Spain, it is different, you can just have an Uber or taxi take you right up to the stadium," Dumois said, sharing his thoughts on the Round 16 match between Real Madrid and Juventus. "Here in Miami, they have to leave you outside and far away. There's so many layers of security, it's too much.' The Club World Cup, which is entering the quarterfinals this weekend, has served as a tune-up for the United States which, along with Canada and Mexico, will host the 2026 World Cup in cities like Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle. So far, the club tournament has not been well-attended, except for a handful of matches. A Round of 16 knockout match at Charlotte's 75,000-seat Bank of America Stadium between Fluminense and Inter Milan drew just 20,030 fans. Stadium officials allowed fans who'd purchased upper deck tickets to move down to the lower bowl. Even then, lower bowl looked half full. Empty seats have been a common sight across the country. There are variety of reasons why. First, the club tournament simply isn't as popular as the World Cup, where players are competing for their countries rather than a club team. The costs — both for games and travel — have also kept some away. And, for some, there have been lingering concerns of potential U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids at matches amid President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. The weather hasn't helped either. Benjamin Cabral lives in Boston, but his family is from Azoras, an autonomous region of Portugal. He said if FIFA hopes to grow the game in America, a scheduling change is necessary. Due to soccer's popularity in Europe, many club matches have been played in the middle of the day so fans overseas can watch games on television or livestream in real time at night. The downside is players have been forced to play with temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) while a major heat wave gripped the States. 'If they're trying to grow their game in the US, they need to make the games later,' Cabral said. 'It's too hot out here for the players." It hasn't been easy on fans, either. 'There's no roof, no screens, not much,' said Carlos Olguin, who made the trek from Mexico to Charlotte to watch Pachuca play Real Madrid. Next year's World Cup will be played during a similar time frame, beginning in mid-June and concluding in mid-July. Excitement surrounding the current event also remains a concern. 'The other thing in the city is that it should be more prepared for the event, because there are people who don't even know there's an event and so you go to a restaurant with the idea that there are flags, fans, more football things and there's nothing,' Olguin added of the Club World Cup. 'The city should be more prepared for the event, because there are people who don't even know there's an event.' As for the venues, spectators attending Club World Cup matches offered differing reviews of American stadiums and host cities leading up to the country hosting the World Cup for the first since 1994. "I'll be honest, the U.S. is not ready to host the World Cup," said Jeremy Zuniga from South Carolina. "There's too many people coming from South America, Europe, everybody.' Others, like Rogerio Bajos from Peru, feel differently. 'I think it's been good, we haven't had any problems," said Bajos, who also attended a CWC game in Miami. 'The parking is no problem, the security has been good. Overall, a stupendous spectacle.' Humberto Contasta from Miami said the Club World Cup should help the American co-hosts iron out some issues before next summer. Daniel Marques, who made the trek from Portugal to Charlotte for the sole purpose of watching Benfica battle Chelsea in a group play match, said he was impressed overall with how the tournament was run. Guilherme Altoe agreed. Altoe, who grew up watching World Cup matches in Brazil before moving to the United States nearly a decade ago, said he thinks the United States will put on a good event next summer. 'I think the United States has everything, all the infrastructure to host a World Cup,' he said. 'So we are excited to have them see all the fans from different places and have family come around and it will be a great time.' ___ Freelancers Andrew Jaime-Mendez and Max Feliu Merce contributed to this report. ___ AP soccer:
Fox Sports
2 hours ago
- Fox Sports
San Jose Sharks continue their spending in NHL free agency by signing Dmitry Orlov
Associated Press Dmitry Orlov is heading to the spend-happy San Jose Sharks, who have been active in NHL free agency and made a pickup off the waiver wire Thursday to reach the salary floor. Orlov, who turns 34 later this month, signed a two-year contract worth $13 million. A Stanley Cup champion from his time in Washington who spent the past two seasons in Carolina, the veteran defenseman will count $6.5 million against the cap through 2026-27. Orlov is the latest addition for the Sharks, who needed to add $20 million somehow to get to the $70.6 million minimum for player salaries. That counts money owed to captain Logan Couture, whose playing career is over because of a debilitating injury. San Jose also claimed Nick Leddy off waivers from St. Louis to add to its new-look blue line that includes recently signed veteran John Klingberg, who got $4 million for next season. 'Klingberg was someone we had targeted for a little while now,' general manager Mike Grier said earlier this week. 'We need someone who can run a power play. We think, as he showed he was getting healthier and healthier this year and another year out from his hip (surgery), I think he'll be even better' Leddy also has a year left on his contract at a cap hit of $4 million, with $3 million in actual dollars owed. Orlov is the only experienced defenseman San Jose has signed beyond 2026. Orlov's short-time teammate, Brent Burns, agreed to terms with Colorado on Wednesday night to a one-year contract worth $1 million with up to $3 million more attainable through performance bonuses. Grier said, based on the Sharks' youth movement and building process, did not expect to be involved in any of the big-money free agents this summer. One of the top players available, Danish winger Nikolaj Ehlers, remains unsigned 72 hours into the signing period that opened at noon EDT on Tuesday. ___ AP NHL: recommended
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Ohio State basketball guard Bruce Thornton discusses why he returned to Buckeyes
#Buckeyes Bruce Thornton leaned on his morals when he decided to return for another season; loyal to the program. @OhioStateHoops Loyalty can be a hard thing to come by in the day and age of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal. You can't blame college players for looking out for themselves, but it's refreshing when a guy makes a decision based on a commitment and follows through on what he started. That's where Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton comes in. During his three years in Columbus, the Buckeyes have yet to reach the NCAA Tournament. The program has been in purgatory, trying to get back to where it once was, and he's thought to be a key part of that. It has to be disappointing to not experience some of the things Thornton thought he would when he committed to play on the banks of the Olentangy, so nobody could really blame him if he decided to move on to another program for his last season in college. That's not what happened, though. Instead, Thornton decided to come back to Columbus for his last season to help lead the team to where he thinks it can go. When asked by Kellyanne Stitts of the ABC affiliate in Columbus, WSYX, on what went into his decision to return to Ohio State, Thornton pointed to unfinished business. "I've always been a loyal guy," Thornton said. "Me being here just sticking it out just showing love back to Ohio State because they've been nothing but great to me this whole time since I've been here throughout the whole process, good, bad and ugly, so it just felt right to do it one more time. Thornton was then asked about all of the new guys on the team this season and how things are coming together, and he felt quite optimistic. "We have a lot of new guys this year, and I'm very excited," said Thornton. "I feel like our chemistry and our camaraderie together to try to build each and every day the best way we can each and every day so that we can be the best team we can possibly be." But there always has to be improvement to continue to move things forward, so the All-Big Ten performer was then asked what he's looking for in his game coming into the season. "I'm just trying to win games. I don't care what else I do, just make sure I win games and put a banner up in our practice gym, that's it." There seems to be more optimism coming out of the program this year. Something feels a little different, but of course, things have to happen on the court for the program to start to get back to one of the best in the Big Ten, and by extension, the country. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
