An indefinite suspension has turned into what appears to be the end of Josh Tabb's basketball career at Tennessee. The would-be senior guard has withdrawn from the university and returned home to Carbondale, Illinois to be close to his mother, who is suffering from an undisclosed illness. The story from the Knoxville News-Sentinel includes comments from head coach Bruce Pearl offering sympathy to Tabb's situation.
Tabb was a member of Pearl's initial recruiting class, which has now lost its third member: Duke Crews and Ramar Smith left the program following the 2007-08 season, and now Tabb's career comes to an early close as well. He is the second Tennessee player to exit the program in the past month under unfortunate circumstances, following the frightening cardiac scare suffered by Emmanuel Negedu one month ago today.
These incidents leave a Tennessee team picked by most to contend for the SEC Championship short on depth, but the greater concern goes out to Negedu and Tabb's mother.