Tennessee junior point guard Zakai Zeigler was named to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year watch list.
The list includes 15 players.
Zeigler is one of two Southeastern Conference players to make the list. Johni Broome (Auburn) was also selected.
The list also includes Kevin McCullar Jr. (Kansas), Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton) and Zach Edey (Purdue), who were also semifinalists for the award in 2022-23.
Zeigler is one of five SEC players averaging at least 2.0 steals per game in league play this season.
In 86 games, Zeigler ranks in the top 10 for career steals in program history.
The watch list includes Adrian Baldwin Jr. (Penn State), Kalkbrenner, Zeigler, Broome, Edey, McCullar Jr., Reece Beekman (Virginia), Adem Bona (UCLA); Devin Carter (Providence), Ryan Dunn (Virginia), Dajuan Harris Jr. (Kansas), Jaelen House (New Mexico), Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State), Clifford Omoruri (Rutgers) and Jamal Shead (Houston).