Pitino awaiting NCAA meeting

Coach Rick Pitino said Tuesday he is still waiting to be interviewed by the NCAA about escort Katina Powell’s book allegations that a former Louisville staffer hired her and other dancers for sex parties at the team’s dormitory.

Pitino has said repeatedly that he did not know about the incidents, and Tuesday took that a step further, saying that athletic director Tom Jurich does not believe he was aware of the activities.

The coach said on ESPN’s “Mike & Mike” that if former Colorado State AD Jurich “thought for one second I had 1 percent knowledge of hearsay in this case, I would have been gone a long time ago.”

The university has announced a self- imposed one- year postseason ban for the men’s basketball team after the school’s investigation into allegations revealed violations did occur.

The coach said he has been kept in the dark about the investigation because he has not been interviewed by the NCAA. The university investigation is ongoing and it’s unclear if more selfimposed penalties are possible.

Pitino also has stated that he has no plans to step down, and Tuesday he indicated his position has not changed.

“My future is really irrelevant and unimportant. It’s the University of Louisville that I care about,” Pitino said. “I do the same thing every single year. I go away, I takemy time and say: ‘ Did you have fun? Do you still have great passion?’

“I have more passion today with coaching. I love teaching more than ever.”

Powell alleged in the book “Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen” that Andre McGee paid her $ 10,000 for 22 shows from 2010- 14 with many taking place in the Cardinals’ Billy Minardi Hall dormitory. The allegations led to several investigations: one by the athletic department; the University of Louisville Foundation; the NCAA; and university and Louisville Metro Police in cooperation with the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

She also spoke out on Tuesday.

Powell wouldn’t say how she felt about Pitino being disciplined in a radio interview, but did say that the school should be punished because it tried to damage her reputation after the book’s release in October. During an appearance on Kentucky Sports Radio, she also said she didn’t think much of Louisville’s selfimposed penalty and suggested it was the school’s way of heading off possible NCAA sanctions.

The No. 13 Cardinals ( 19- 5) would have been a lock for the NCAA Tournament without winning the conference title.