The rumors regarding Arkansas’ alleged pursuit of Illinois coach Bruce Weber have been put to rest.

Over the weekend, an Arkansas fan Web site reported that Weber had expressed interest in the Razorbacks head coaching vacancy to Athletic Director Frank Broyles.

Although Illinois Assistant Athletic Director Kent Brown said he “got the impression that there were discussions” between Weber and officials associated with the Arkansas program, he believed it had more to do with its search for other candidates.

Arkansas announced last Monday that Stan Heath would not return for the 2007-08 season.

Brown could not confirm whether Weber was speaking with Arkansas on behalf of Southern Illinois’ Chris Lowery and Vanderbilt’s Kevin Stallings, two coaches with ties to Weber.

“I don’t know, I think that may have happened, but I’m not 100 percent,” Brown said.

Lowery, was an assistant to Weber at Southern Illinois and Illinois, while Stallings and Weber served as assistants to Gene Keady at Purdue.

The Southern Illinois athletic department reported on Sunday that Lowery signed a seven-year, $750,000-per year contract extension to remain the Salukis head coach.

Brown did say he had talked with Weber on the phone Saturday, but believed there was never any indication that “anything was in the works” at Arkansas.

“I asked coach yesterday, ‘Did you talk to Frank Broyles regarding the Arkansas job and you coaching at Arkansas,’ and he said no.”

Weber is in Atlanta for the Final Four and a coach’s conference.

“There’s a report out there that he went to Arkansas Friday night, but I just don’t know if that’s true. I think he was here (in Atlanta),” Brown said.

The Razorbacks have upped their search after current Texas A&M; coach Billy Gillespie, a former Illinois assistant and the front-runner for the position, agreed to a new contract on March 30, the school reported.

According to Sports Illustrated, Arkansas has been granted permission to talk to Memphis coach John Calipari, said a Memphis official Saturday.

On Sunday, though, ESPN confirmed that Calipari would not leave Memphis for the Arkansas vacancy.

“We had a productive trip to Atlanta. It’s clear that many talented and proven head coaches are intrigued by our coaching vacancy,” Broyles said in a school-released statement after returning to Arkansas on Saturday.

“We are continuing along in the process, and we are hopeful to fill the position soon,” he said.

At an end of the year basketball press conference Wednesday, Weber credited Illinois and its fans despite the excessive criticism he has faced in regards to the Illini’s 23-12 season and their inability to sign a blue-chip recruit.

He also eluded to the good and bad side of the situation’s nature.

“You have a great state that loves basketball, there are so many positive things,” Weber said. “The negative part is that they love you so much, they over love you, I guess. Sometimes it becomes too much.

“But it’s a good place and I love it here. We went through a tough stretch, we overcame it, we survived and now we just have to move forward.”