LSU Coach Has High Praise For Vols Seniors After Last Night’s Game

Image: University of Tennessee Athletics

By Cody McClure

LSU head coach Matt McMahon had high praise for two of Tennessee’s players.

Last night the Vols took down LSU 65-59 on the road and the Tigers’ coach, an Oak Ridge native, saw one of the nation’s top defensive teams up close.

He was especially impressed with two of the Vols’ seniors.

"(Zakai) Zeigler and (Jahmai) Mashack, I'd argue, are probably two of the five best individual defenders in the country, and so we just weren't able to create enough good looks,” McMahon said.

McMahon may very well be right in saying Zeigler and Mashack are two of the five best defenders in college basketball.

Both are up for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

Last night’s game felt like total frustration for LSU. They couldn’t hit anything.

Even during the times Tennessee was playing sloppy, I was never worried about LSU coming back to win the game.

Much of that would be thanks to the two seniors.

It’s a beautiful thing when you rarely have to worry about your team playing elite defense.