SEC & NCAA cancellations

Angela Moryan reports live from Nashville where the SEC cancelled their basketball tournament with more on the sports cancellations.

Was the first to make major decisions in reaction and prevention of the virus.

News 12's angela moryan is live in nashville where the sec tournament was supposed to be played today.

Angela, what updates do you have on the fallout from the virus?

The madness of march has officially hit a historically unprecedented level.

The nba suspended all play indefinitely in reaction to the spread of the coronavirus.

Today, the nhl and mlb have followed suit, halting all operations until further notice.

Most notably for this time of year, is college basketball.

All the power-5 conferences have canceled their men's basketball tournaments.

That includes the sec.

Tennessee was expected to play in the quarterfinals against alabama at 1 eastern this afternoon -- albeit without fans.

However, after the nba's monumental decision last night, the sec shut down everything, just after kentucky's closed practice this morning.

Greg sankey/sec commissioner: "i've not had a situation as difficult or emotional as this one."

The sec pulling the plug on this year's men's basketball tournament just an hour and a half before the day's first quarterfinal game was scheduled to tip off.

Commissioner sankey says they made the best possible decision with the best available information.

Sankey: "to make a recommendation to our presidents and chancellors that we cancel the remainder of our men's basketball was a moment where i had to stop and actually catch myself and recompose myself."

As far as tennessee is concerned, the vols say they were scared to play this game, and are relieved with the conference's decision.

Rick barnes/vols head coach: "i'm just happy because i do know that the right decision was made for those guys, because they didn't really have a voice in it.

And the fact is, they were wondering if we would do the right thing."

The sec has suspended play across all sports until march 30.

That includes the cancelling of the gymnastics and equestrian championships.

No word yet on how this will affect the rest of the march madness slate.

However, kansas and duke -- two of the top ten teams in the nation right now -- have pulled out of the tournament.

Kansas of course has been a major favorite to win the national championship.

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