Pitino denies making obscene gesture toward Kentucky fans

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - University of Louisville men's basketball coach Rick Pitino denies making an obscene gesture toward University of Kentucky fans as he walked to the locker room after his team's loss Saturday afternoon, according to a pair of media reports.

Shortly after the Wildcats' 75-73 victory, video surfaced on social media of Pitino gesturing up to the crowd as he left the court at Rupp Arena.

"I got Rick flipping off UK fans on video," Seiver Tandy tweeted.

While Tandy's video appears to be inconclusive, Pitino says that he did not extend his middle finger to Big Blue faithful.

"No I didn't flip off the fans. I was in the tunnel. People were yelling ugly crude things that I didn't like," Pitino reportedly told ESPN.com via text message.

Jeff Greer, who covers UofL for The Courier-Journal, also tweeted that Pitino told him that he "doesn't remember flipping off a fan, but rather telling someone 'we are No. 1.'"

Pitino gave the same, somewhat open-to-interpretation recollection to ESPN.com.

Pitino, who fell to 1-8 against Kentucky coach John Calipari since his arrival in Lexington, didn't attend postgame interviews.