University of Minnesota men's basketball coach Richard Pitino posted a statement on Twitter Friday morning saying that he's "very happy" at the University of Minnesota.

"This state deserves a great basketball program and we are working extremely hard to bring them one," he wrote.

Pitino has been linked to the vacant coaching job at Alabama, which was turned down Wednesday by Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall.

Sources told the Star Tribune's Amelia Rayno earlier this week that Alabama has interest in Pitino, who just completed his second season at Minnesota.

Here's is the tweet from Pitino, which was also released as a statement by the university this morning:

Meanwhile, appearing on ESPN,, Louisville coach Rick Pitino says he would like to see his school paired up with the Gophers in the 2015-16 ACC-Big ten Challenge series and then have a home-and-home series with his son's Minnesota team in the following two seasons.

This Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, photo shows Louisville head coach Rick Pitino, left, and his son, Minnesota head coach Richard Pitino, smiling during a joint press conference in Louisville, Ky.

"Helps his program," Rick Pitino told ESPN. "Only time in my life that if we lose, I will smile inside."

You can read the ESPN report here.