SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Steve Fisher, who turned San Diego State's basketball program from a laughingstock into a perennial NCAA tournament team, has signed a three-year contract extension that runs through the 2017-18 season.
Fisher is in the final year of a four-year contract extension he signed in 2011 that included a clause that his long-time assistant, Brian Dutcher, is the head-coach-in-waiting.
"I look forward to not only this year but being part of San Diego State basketball for a long time," the 69-year-old Fisher said at a news conference.
Hired prior to the 1999-2000 season, Fisher has revived a moribund program. SDSU has 10 20-win seasons and two 30-win seasons under Fisher and has made the NCAA tournament eight times, including two Sweet 16 appearances.
Fisher is 314-176 at SDSU.
The Aztecs, ranked No. 16, beat No. 25 Utah 53-49 Tuesday.
Fisher inherited a team that went 4-22 in 1998-99. His first team went 5-23 overall and 0-14 in the Mountain West.
"I have enjoyed every moment of it, from Day One introducing ourselves, giving out free tickets, playing in front of nobody, not winning a conference game," Fisher told the AP earlier this month. "Those same kids, they worked as hard as any group I've ever had, and got better, but we just weren't talented enough, to where we are now."
SDSU games have become big events. Viejas Arena, with its raucous student section, The Show, is sold out for the entire season for the third straight year.
Fisher won the national championship with Michigan in 1989 after he was promoted to interim head coach when athletic director Bo Schembechler found out on the eve of the tournament that Bill Frieder had accepted the Arizona State job. Fisher coached Michigan to the title game in 1992 and 1993. Those appearances were vacated following the Ed Martin scandal, which ultimately cost Fisher his job with the Wolverines.
