Rick Pitino: Louisville is Unranked Because of Sex Scandal Allegations

Louisville is 5-0. Their average margin of victory currently sits at 23.6 points per game. The Cardinals are third in the RPI rankings, yet remain unranked. Rick Pitino blames the media for buying into the sex scandal allegations levied at the Cardinals program. Here’s what Pitino had to say after Louisville’s 20-point win over Saint Louis on Saturday.

Via the Courier-Journal:

"“The thing I’m disappointed in – because I like a lot of people in the media (and) I’m someone who’s been media friendly for a long, long time – is that you bought into it,” Pitino said, adding that he’ll never read the book and has been advised not to comment on the allegations. “You believe it. That’s the startling thing. Now we’ve got 11 women coming forward and saying that didn’t happen, signing affidavits. Everybody just bought it. I wouldn’t buy it for a second. Now, is there some truth in the allegations? I’m sure there are. But nobody called them to task. I don’t know. I’m a doubting Thomas. “So, what I’ll do is let the NCAA do their job. There’s a criminal investigation – let them do their job. But I do know this basketball team had absolutely nothing to do with it. They’re gone. And they can’t comment.”"

Pitino may have a point. (The coaches obviously read the media stories about this because they also have Louisville unranked.) Louisville made it to the Elite Eight and was 10th in the final poll last season. However the pollsters feel about the Louisville program, they won’t be able to keep them out if they beat #3 Michigan State on Wednesday. Then Louisville will have three weeks to bolster their record before they face another ranked team in #1 Kentucky the day after Christmas.