Mark Wiedmer: SEC tourney marks beginning of end

AP Photo / Dave Martin

Tennessee's Wayne Chism takes a break during NCAA college basketball practice on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, at the Southeastern Conference tournament in Nashville, Tenn. Tennessee will play LSU Thursday.

The beginning of the end arrives today for all Southeastern Conference basketball fans. Even if Tennessee -- which begins its SEC tourney run this afternoon at 3:15 EST against LSU -- wins every game possible the rest of the year it will play but 10 more times.

Lose today and the game after today and the Vols will have but two more games to wear the Orange and White this spring.

As UT coach Bruce Pearl replied when someone asked him about the rest of the season during a Wednesday press conference, "We play LSU at 2:15 (Central time)."

That's all that's guaranteed. One game this week. And for Top 25 teams such as Tennessee, one game next week in the NCAA Tournament.

Continue reading at the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

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