INDIANAPOLIS — The smallest player in the stadium was Kentucky’s biggest problem.

Zakai Zeigler and No. 2-seeded Tennessee booked a spot in the Elite Eight with a 78-65 win over the No. 3 Wildcats, avenging a pair of regular-season losses to their SEC rivals and advancing to a regional final for the second consecutive season.

Only a few short years ago, Zeigler was recruited by head coach Rick Barnes to Tennessee with only a promise to have a chance to compete for playing time. On Friday night, Zeigler sat in the postgame media session pinching himself with the Volunteers one win away from the first Final Four appearance in program history.

Tennessee (30-7) will face No. 1 Houston on Sunday after the Cougars edged No. 4 Purdue 62-60 later Friday night.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people doubted us,” Zeigler said, his grin partially blocked by the microphone while seated at a table.

Zeigler scored or assisted on half of Tennessee’s 43 points in the first half against Kentucky (24-12) and never slowed down with 18 points and 10 assists to power the Vols to the Elite Eight.

“I feel like coming out in this game, we really wanted to set the tone and show them who we were,” Zeigler said.

A Zeigler steal on the inbounds led to a contested 3-pointer from the right wing as Kentucky’s 6-foot-10 Brandon Garrison — closing out with a lunge and both arms outstretched toward the shot — turned into just another Superman freezeframe for the Tennessee point guard.

As the triple circled the rim and went down, a back-breaking play for Kentucky, Zeigler posed in Garrison’s mug and the Wildcats trudged off the floor down 65-48 with less than nine minutes to go.

Sparked by Naismith Defensive Player of the Year semifinalists Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack, Tennessee appeared to be playing with five All-SEC defenders on Friday. Mashack had five steals and helped force 12 Kentucky turnovers.

The Vols went from Sweet to Elite on Friday with a super-sized effort from their 5-foot-9 dynamo, a Bronx, N.Y., product who is the only four-time All-Defense team member in the SEC.

Zeigler crippled the Kentucky defense in the first half, repeatedly carving his way into the lane to establish a double-digit lead the Vols carried most of the game. However, he didn’t operate alone.

Chaz Lanier scored 17 points and Jordan Gainey added 16 for the Volunteers.

Lamont Butler led Kentucky with 18 points and hit four of the Wildcats’ six 3-pointers.

“He’s a really good player, really good player. It was a great matchup,” Butler said.

Butler brought his best Friday night but the urgency set in too late for Kentucky.

Still down double-digits with nine minutes to go, Butler began knocking down shots and sparked some faint noise from the Wildcats’ crowd with a pair of 3s and an aggressive downhill drive, only to be shaken by Zeigler on the other end with Gainey cutting through the lane for a sweeping right-handed flush to kick the Tennessee advantage back to 15.

“JG’s the best sixth man in the country. He’s the sixth starter,” Zeigler said. “Every time he steps on the court, he’s like a microwave, he’s hot already.”

The Vols were determined to restrict perimeter shots after Kentucky went 12 of 24 from 3-point range in both regular-season matchups.

There were no open looks to be found for the Wildcats, the only team to shoot 50 percent in a game (twice) against Tennessee this season. Top scorers Otega Oweh and Brea were limited to 18 combined points and shot a collective 6 of 19 from the floor.

Kentucky (24-12) began the 2024-25 season in turmoil, attempting a complete rebuild under head coach Mark Pope after John Calipari exited for Arkansas.

Pope lured winners from multiple corners and delivered a memorable run to the Sweet 16.

Butler, who made the shot in the Final Four to send San Diego State to the championship game two years ago, and Brea, a four-year reserve at Dayton, walked off the dais at Lucas Oil Stadium only after endorsing the future at Kentucky and reminding anyone in the transfer portal to hit up UK.

“I don’t know who is in charge of the jerseys and all that but they’re going to go through some trouble to get mine,” Brea said of taking off the Kentucky blue for the final time Friday night. “It’s been everything I wanted it to be and more.”

Butler made a 3 with 1:09 left and Kentucky closed to 78-65, but “Rocky Top” was already blaring on repeat. Kentucky never got closer than 12 points in the second half.

“It’s hard to talk about basketball right now,” Pope said. “Mostly we’re just sad this is over.”

–Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media