Kentucky coach John Calipari asks fans not to tease Louisville over scandal

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky coach John Calipari hopes Wildcats fans resist the urge to tease archrival Louisville about its escort scandal and treat the Cardinals respectfully Saturday in the Bluegrass showdown at Rupp Arena.

Escort Katina Powell has alleged in a book that former Louisville staffer Andre McGee paid her $10,000 to hire dancers to strip and have sex with Cardinals players and recruits from 2010-14, sparking four investigations. Cardinals coach Rick Pitino has denied knowledge of the activities Powell alleges in the book and hasn’t discussed the scandal since October.

Louisville has endured ribbing on social media and sports talk shows, but Calipari expressed hope Wednesday that Kentucky fans “just enjoy the basketball. … Let’s be classy, and I expect that’s how they’ll be in this game.”