Hoosier loss to Arkansas puts stamp on roller coaster season

RALEIGH, N.C. – It wasn't supposed to be like this.\nNot with the arrival of Indiana high school legend Eric Gordon.\nNot with the inside presence and senior leadership of D.J. White.\nNot with the top-flight coach with Final Four experience.\nThis was supposed to be the season that put Indiana basketball back on the map as one of college basketball's elite programs. But in the end, the Hoosiers were left asking what if and what's to come in the program's future.\n“I've never seen anything like it,” IU interim coach Dan Dakich said about the season. “It's probably not over to tell you the truth. The season is over, the game is over, but there are a lot of things that have to occur with Indiana basketball that need to occur. It's far from over.”\nThe Hoosiers (25-8) entered the season as one of the favorites to win the Big Ten title and were thought by some to be capable of a Final Four run led by White and Gordon. But before any games were played, distractions began to mount for IU.\nDays after the first practice, the University self-reported violations by former coach Kelvin Sampson for impermissible phone calls while Sampson was on probation for similar infractions at Oklahoma.\nNext, a series of suspensions forced guards Armon Bassett and Jordan Crawford to miss three games apiece for violating team rules.\nThe team kept winning despite these distractions, positioning itself for the program's first Big Ten title since 2002.\nThe program was rocked by a report from the NCAA upgrading the self-reported secondary infractions to major infractions, putting Sampson's future at IU in doubt.\nFacing a deluge of questions about the NCAA report and Sampson's future, the Hoosiers were just one banked-in 3-pointer away from a three-game sweep of ranked opponents in early February.\nSampson eventually “resigned” from the program, leaving former Hoosier player Dakich as the head coach. Some players boycotted the first practice, upset by Sampson's decision to leave mid-season.\nWith Dakich at the helm, the Hoosiers finished the season 3-4 including first round defeats in both the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.\nIt certainly was not the season the team expected Gordon said.\n“We fought through adversity all season,” Gordon said. “It's been a tough and difficult season for us.”\nWith the season complete, now questions remain on which players will stay and who will become the next head coach for the Hoosiers.\nIt is widely expected White will declare for the NBA draft although he could petition the NCAA for another year of eligibility because of an injury suffered his sophomore year. Gordon will likely join White in the NBA, although the freshman said after the loss that he has not yet made his decision.\n“I'm real close to this coaching staff, so I am going to talk to them, talk to my family,” Gordon said. “It's a great opportunity that this team has in the future.”\nThe players are split with some committing to being there next year, and others waiting to see which coach will take over the helm at IU before making a decision about their future.\nJunior guard/forward Jamarcus Ellis, who said he is staying next season, said the team needs to move on and use this season as motivation for next year.\n“Just let everything go,” Ellis said. “Just put everything behind us and look at what we have to do to make ourselves better.”\nFor Dakich, there is work to be done to return the program to its former glory. While there are big name coaches rumored to be in the running for the job, Dakich said he was the man for the job.\n“This needs to be built with a foundation of discipline and accountability,” Dakich said. “And that can certainly happen with a lot of people, but I'm just telling you, given the climate, the culture, what's happening right now, it has to be someone that understands it.”