Fans can't stop talking about it. The NCAA tournament that is. Tennessee's late season push, winning eight of its last nine games, has put the Vols squarely into the discussion for an at-large bid. Just don't ask Tennessee's players to get involved in that discussion.

That sentiment stems partly from the Vols' desire to stay focused on this week's SEC tournament, where hoisting the trophy in Nashville on Sunday would end the need for any speculation about a forthcoming invite.

The players' desire to push all the tourney talk to the background is also rooted in the fact, that like fans, they can't solve the Rubik's Cube like riddle that seems to suggest their late season surge, including Saturday's win over Missouri, still leaves them on the proverbial bubble as the conference tournament approaches.

"It's weird, if you read a lot of stuff you don't know what to think," Stokes said of the seemingly endless speculation. "That's why I'm trying my best not to talk about the NCAA at all. My whole focus is on the SEC tournament, we need to just keep it simple.

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