NCAA suspends Louisville' Pitino after escort investigation

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The NCAA has suspended Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino for five Atlantic Coast Conference games after its sex-scandal investigation.

The governing body also handed down other penalties today, including placing the basketball program on four years' probation, vacating wins in which ineligible players participated and issuing a 10-year show-cause order for former basketball operations director Andre McGee.

Former escort Katina Powell alleged that McGee had hired her and other escorts to strip and have sex with Louisville recruits and players.

The NCAA, which described the activities as "repugnant," has not vacated the Cardinals' 2013 national championship. The NCAA says the school must determine which games ineligible players participated in. Players deemed ineligible would be those involved in the sex parties, which are considered impermissible benefits.

Louisville interim President Greg Postel issued a statement saying the school believes the additional "severe" penalties are excessive and plans to appeal. The university, which has self-imposed several sanctions, has 45 days to respond.

"The entire UofL community is saddened by what took place. It never should have happened, and that is why the school acted to severely penalize itself in 2016," Postel said. "Today, however, the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions went beyond what we consider to be fair and reasonable. We intend to appeal all aspects of the penalties."