Ex-Louisville players sue NCAA

Five former Louisville men’s basketball players have filed a lawsuit against the NCAA over the organization’s vacation of the Cardinals’ 2013 national championship and 2012 Final Four. Luke Hancock, the 2013 Final Four Most Outstanding Player, and four teammates from that title team, Gorgui Dieng, Tim Henderson, Stephan Van Treese and Mike Marra, are the plaintiffs.

The NCAA stripped Louisville of the title as part of sanctions for violations discovered during an escort-scandal investigation, a scandal that eventually cost Hall of Fame head coach Rick Pitino his job. The suit filed Wednesday in Jefferson County (Ky.) Circuit Court states the NCAA cast the plaintiffs in a false light and seeks declaration that it wrongfully vacated the plaintiffs’ wins, honors and awards.