No.8 seed Indiana's trying season came to an end last night, with an 86-72 defeat at the hands of No.9 Arkansas in their East Regional first round matchup. Though IU almost capped off a stirring last minute comeback, the Razorbacks, lifted by Sonny Weem's career best 31 points, sent the Hoosiers to an ignominious early exit, the Indianapolis Star reports.
The loss, the third straight for the Hoosiers, marked the final frustration in a season which saw the controversial resignation of head coach Kelvin Sampson after allegations of recruiting violations. D.J. White's 21-point effort was matched by Armon Bassett, but freshman phenom Eric Gordon again fell far short of expectations. The Big Ten's most dominant scorer, Gordon managed a mere 1-7 from the field. (More March Madness stories.)