The big moment has arrived for the Tennessee Vols basketball team. After an impressive regular season and a strong performance in the SEC Tournament, Tennessee is ready to face Wofford on Thursday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament—let the madness begin!

Before stepping onto the court for their tournament opener, many Vols players have been paying attention to the external chatter surrounding their team. This includes senior leader Zakai Zeigler, who is well aware of the skepticism surrounding Tennessee. Instead of letting it discourage them, he’s using it as motivation to make a deep run in the Midwest Region and chase the program’s first-ever Final Four appearance.

Zakai Zeigler acknowledges that the Tennessee Vols have plenty of critics.

“I mean, I feel like we’ve had a target on our back all year,” Zeigler said. “We were the No. 1 team in the country for a few weeks, and that’s the biggest target you can have during the regular season. Just having that target on our back isn’t something we worry about—it’s something we embrace because we want people to know we’re good. We want teams to come at us with their best shot.”

Zeigler didn’t hold back in his comments. It’s easy to forget that earlier this season, Tennessee held the No. 1 ranking in the nation. However, that status didn’t last long after the Vols suffered a crushing 30-point defeat to the Gators. Florida, now a No. 1 seed in March Madness, is also considered a strong contender for a deep run.

Looking at the tournament bracket, if things go as expected, Tennessee could face No. 1 Houston in the Elite Eight. That matchup would determine a trip to the Final Four, making it an intense and highly anticipated showdown. For Zeigler and the other seniors, this is their final opportunity to make a statement. They are determined to leave their mark and prove their doubters wrong.