Former coach Rick Pitino has sued the University of Louisville Athletic Association for $37.6 million, saying it breached his contract by placing him on unpaid administrative leave without notice and then firing him last month with no legally justified cause.

Pitino was fired in October in the wake of an FBI investigation of bribery and fraud in college basketball related to the steering of recruits to Adidas, sports agents and financial advisers. Pitino maintains he wasn't aware of an alleged payment from a Cardinals assistant to the family of Brian Bowen during the recruiting process.

Louisville has since announced that Bowen, a freshman, won't play for the school but can transfer if he wishes.

University spokesman John Karman told the Courier-Journal that Louisville is aware of the Pitino lawsuit.

"As a matter of policy, the university does not comment on pending litigation," Karman said in an email.

In October, Pitino filed a federal lawsuit against Adidas, claiming damages caused by the apparel company's improper dealings with recruits.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.