BLOOMINGTON - Do you see conspiracy over Indiana's unexpectedly bad No. 8 NCAA Tournament seed? Was another message delivered to the program that dared to hire serial phone caller Kelvin Sampson? We might never know the story behind the story of how the Hoosiers (25-7) fell from what should have been no worse than a sixth seed, but the consequences likely mean the Cream 'n Crimson's season will be over by this weekend.

First up is a Friday tilt with No. 9 Arkansas (22-11), the team that just upset Vanderbilt and Tennessee in the SEC Tournament. A victory means a likely Sunday showdown with No. 1 North Carolina. The Tar Heels are considered the best of the No. 1 seeds and are playing in their home state, in Raleigh.

IU might get past the uptempo Razorbacks. There's almost no way it beats super-uptempo North Carolina in front of what should be a home crowd.

How did this happen? Figure IU's 3-3 finish, with bad losses to Penn State and Minnesota, and a 29-point debacle at Michigan State, was the major factor. And the selection committee probably considered a team that, at least by offensive performance, seems in disarray in the aftermath of Sampson's resignation, as less worthy of a higher seed.

For those with an Oliver Stone outlook, you could see it as punishment for Sampson's alleged transgressions.

Coach Dan Dakich and the Hoosiers took the high road Sunday night, with good reason. Whining won't help them. A tough-minded, mature approach might. “I think a lot more was involved to it than wins and losses, but it doesn't matter,” Dakich said. “You've just got to play. So we'll play Arkansas on Friday and we'll have to play well. If we do, we'll have a game on Sunday. It doesn't matter what you feel. It's what you do.”

And what the Hoosiers could do, especially against North Carolina, is the stuff of Dakich-stopping-Michael-Jordan legend. “If we get to a second game, it's a great opportunity,” senior forward Lance Stemler said.

Last year Indiana was 20-10 and earned a No. 7 seed. This year it was ranked the entire season, beat higher seeded teams such as No. 5 Michigan State and No. 6 Purdue, and had a pair of NBA first-round draft picks in D.J. White and Eric Gordon, yet was less impressive in the selection committee's eyes.

“It is a surprise,” White said, “but there's nothing we can do about it. It's a great opportunity to be playing in March against a good Arkansas team and then, if we win, a No. 1 seed. We'll take it day by day and prepare for it.”

Opportunity for perhaps a No. 5 seed seemed possible Sunday to watch the selection show. Some were getting food when their seed and draw appeared.

“It was a little bit of a shock,” Stemler said. “It just kind of popped up there on us.” Did the popping produce feelings that the selection committee had stuck it to the Hoosiers? “I don't know,” Stemler said. “We're just trying to focus on basketball and let other people worry about that stuff.”

The odds say they won't be worrying very long.