ATLANTA — The University of Louisville on Wednesday made a final argument to keep its 2013 men's basketball championship and avoid other penalties in a hearing in front of the NCAA's Infractions Appeals Committee.

The meeting, held at the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, lasted four hours and represents the last step in an infractions process that has taken more than two years.

Louisville specifically appealed the NCAA's Committee on Infractions' ruling in the Andre McGee escort case that the school must vacate up to 123 wins, including the 2012 Final Four appearance and the 2013 title, and repay what could be millions in NCAA Tournament revenue.

Interim Louisville President Greg Postel said the four-person appeals committee didn't specify when a final decision would be made, but he cited past cases in estimating a ruling sometime in January.

"It went pretty much as we expected," Postel said. "We had an ample opportunity to go through and discuss the issues that we had laid out in our appellate brief. ... I think (the Infractions Appeals Committee) will be able to give a thoughtful deliberation."

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Postel was joined at the hearing by interim athletic director Vince Tyra and Leslie Chambers Strohm, the university's general counsel, among others. Compliance consultant Chuck Smrt, who guided Louisville through the initial infractions process, led the university's team at the hearing.

Not surprisingly, former coach Rick Pitino did not attend the hearing, nor did former athletic director Tom Jurich. Both were fired in the weeks after an FBI investigation into corruption in college basketball recruiting ensnared the school and its men's basketball program.

The hearing included four segments and was held in a room set up in a way that resembled a courtroom or congressional hearing room.

Louisville made its case first, arguing the Committee on Infractions – a panel of administrators, lawyers and other non-NCAA employees – was excessive and unfair in doling out punishments in the escort case.

Louisville acknowledged 37 of the 40 alleged Level I violations, the worst offense in the NCAA's infractions structure, and self-imposed a postseason ban for the 2016 season. The school also placed recruiting limits on the men's basketball staff that spring.

But the school repeatedly said in its six-month appeal that the monetary value of the violations does not warrant the stiff penalties the Committee on Infractions added to the punishment, including probation, scholarship reductions, a five-game suspension of Pitino and the aforementioned financial repayment and vacation of records.

Citing past NCAA infractions cases, Louisville argued its players would only have been required to repay the estimated value of the alleged impermissible benefits had the violations been discovered sooner, but they wouldn't be ruled ineligible to play. The eligibility question goes to the heart of the proposed vacation of records.

Louisville would be the first Division I men's basketball program to vacate a national title in the 78 years the NCAA has held its championship tournament.

The school also claimed the Committee on Infractions overstepped in setting a new precedent with the punishment in Louisville's case, and that the committee did not adequately consider Louisville's self-imposed sanctions and cooperation with the NCAA's investigation.

The Committee on Infractions panel argued the NCAA had not seen another case like Louisville's and was therefore entitled to determine a new punishment recommendation. McGee is alleged to have arranged stripper parties and paid for women to have sex with players and recruits.

"An ideal outcome would be that the two specific penalties that we are appealing would be overturned," Postel said. "... There was no way to read (Louisville's chances) from the proceedings today."

After Louisville's representatives spoke, the Committee on Infractions representatives countered during the second hour of the hearing. Louisville was then given the chance to respond. Closing statements followed.

The meeting, which was closed to the public, was at least six hours shorter than Louisville's original infractions hearing in April in Cincinnati.

"It's a very structured process," Tyra said. "I think we were well-prepared to present all angles of our case. I think we did a nice job of doing that."

As they wait what could be another month or more for the Infractions Appeals Committee's final decision, Louisville's leaders said they were relieved to finish the infractions process, even with the NCAA expected to eventually look into the allegations uncovered in the FBI inquiry.

"These processes are hard on the university community, particularly on the athletics department, on the fans, on our student-athletes," Postel said. "This has been going on for a long time. Indecision about matters like this is always difficult. It takes a toll. We're happy to put this chapter behind us."

Jeff Greer: 502-582-4044; jgreer@courierjournal.com; Twitter: @JeffGreer_CJ. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/jeffg.