BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) Former longtime Montana State men's Basketball coach Mick Durham has accepted an assistant's job at New Mexico State.

In 16 years as head coach at Montana State, Durham won the most games (246) in Big Sky Conference history and was the second-longest tenured coach in Bobcat history behind Brick Breeden (1935-54).

But after a 15-15 season in which Montana State lost six of its final eight games, Durham announced his retirement in March 2006.

He stayed away from the game the past two years, managing Bozeman's Super 8 motel and watching his daughter graduate from high school and his son finish his final two seasons as an MSU guard.

Durham says the timing to get back into coaching feels right.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 10-05-08 1749CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list