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Fisher reacts to NCAA violation claims

Posted at 6:33 PM, Oct 02, 2015
and last updated 2015-10-02 21:33:48-04

SAN DIEGO - San Diego State men's basketball coach Steve Fisher responded Friday to reports that his program violated of NCAA rules.

Last month, CBS Sports reported the men's basketball program possibly provided improper benefits to prospects and that an investigation was underway.

"We initiated a call to the NCAA and a little atypical we were the ones asking them questions, as opposed to the opposite so without going into great detail …," said Fisher.

Fished confirmed the NCAA is looking into allegations, and he added, "Unfortunately, they say this one got to the light of day when it shouldn't have."

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, five players reportedly offered SDSU scholarships have committed to other schools. SDSU had a strong chance of getting two of them who committed to USC instead.

"So control what you can control," Fisher said. "That's what I do, what we do, what we're doing now."

Fisher said he's spoken to his players about the allegations and he's confident his program is operating within NCAA guidelines.

Mighty 1090 sports talk show host Billy Ray Smith has watched Fisher turn a losing team into the envy of the Mountain West Conference. He believes a competing school may have made the claims.

"It kind of gets me a little bit that people are going to accuse him now, after all these years, and after watching him build such a great program the way you're supposed to do," Smith said. "It's really disappointing."

SDSU's first game is on Nov. 13 at home versus Illinois State.