The SEC finally has a men’s college basketball showcase deal with another conference.

After failed attempts to strike an agreement with the Big 12 Conference, the SEC has announced a deal with the Big East Conference, starting in 2007-08.

According to the three-year deal, four teams from each conference will meet each year, giving all 12 SEC teams one shot during the terms of the contract.

The format calls for two doubleheaders per year at neutral courts, one in Big East territory and one in SEC territory.

All will be televised by ESPN or ESPN2.

"I think it’s great for both leagues,’’ said Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl.

"We’ll only get an opportunity to play once every three years, but I’d love to see it become an annual event.’’

The rotation and dates will be announced later.

The Big East has 16 members for basketball, meaning four teams will be left out.

Peterson to Charleston?: Buzz Peterson is the lead choice for the vacant College of Charleston head coaching job, according to The Post and Courier of Charleston, S.C.

The newspaper reported Thursday that sources said College of Charleston had unofficially approached Peterson, who recently finished his first season at Coastal Carolina.

Peterson went 20-10 at Coastal after being terminated at Tennessee in 2005.

Charleston is negotiating a buyout with coach Tom Herrion, whose reported $163,000 salary last year was considerably more than Peterson made at Coastal.

"Buzz loves it here,’’ Coastal athletic director Warren Koegel told The Post and Courier. "We’re very happy with Buzz and he’s got a great team coming back.’’

Gregg Marshall of Winthrop was mentioned as another possible candidate.

If Peterson moves to Charleston, he’ll be back in the same city with Ed Conroy, his assistant at UT and Coastal Carolina who is the new head coach at The Citadel.