He has been the voice of the Padres on radio for 30 years, he called Chargers games for more than a decade, and he started calling San Diego State football and basketball in 1978.

"But I've never had a calendar year like this," Leitner said. "From the Padres winning 90 games last season and in the pennant race to the last dew days, to San Diego State football going to and winning a bowl game, to basketball, this has been an amazing 12 months."

Leitner was with the Aztecs in Tucson, Ariz., on Thursday, calling the team's NCAA tournament win over Northern Colorado on KOGO Radio 600. And he'll be courtside again Saturday for the Aztecs' game against Temple.

"Other than the '98 Padres (who won the National League pennant and lost to the Yankees in the World Series) with Tony Gwynn, Ken Caminiti and Greg Vaughn, this San Diego State basketball team has been my favorite to cover," Leitner said. "The '98 Padres were so good in the clubhouse. This San Diego State team is just like that. It's hard to compare teams, but this basketball team has captured the city. They play team ball, they hustle, and people like that."

And they win. Thursday, the Aztecs beat Northern Colorado 68-50 to improve to 33-2.

Leitner said, because of traffic, he resisted the temptation to leave Tucson right after the Aztecs' game and drive the 110 miles to Peoria to call the Padres' night game against Texas. He will, however, drive across the desert to call Friday's Padres-Angels day game in Tempe, then drive back to Tucson, about 80 miles one way.

"Losing to Northern Colorado would have been like the football team losing to Cal Poly a few years ago," Leitner said. "I didn't graduate from San Diego State, but I've grown to love the school. The school and the fans deserve this season. And I'm telling you, no one anywhere in the country has done more with less than Steve Fisher.

"This season has been unbelievable fun. There hasn't been one problem on the team. The kids have been a joy to be around, and believe me, that matters to a broadcaster.

"The team has come together, and it has been a magical year."