UC Riverside Highlanders men's basketball

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UC Riverside Highlanders
2021–22 UC Riverside Highlanders men's basketball team
UC Riverside Highlanders logo.svg
UniversityUniversity of California, Riverside
Head coachMike Magpayo (1st season)
ConferenceBig West
LocationRiverside, California
ArenaStudent Recreation Center Arena
(Capacity: 3,168)
NicknameHighlanders
ColorsBlue and gold[1]
   
NCAA Tournament Runner-up
*1995
NCAA Tournament Final Four
*1970, *1989, *1995
NCAA Tournament Appearances
*1970, *1972, *1973, *1974, *1975, *1979, *1980, *1984, *1986, *1988, *1989, *1990, *1991, *1992, *1994, *1995, *1997
*at Division II level

The UC Riverside Highlanders men's basketball team represents the University of California, Riverside in Riverside, California, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Big West Conference and is led by coach Mike Magpayo. The Highlanders play their home games at the Student Recreation Center Arena. The program had its greatest success as a Division II program, making it to three Final Fours and the national title game in 1995.

In 2020, the future of the program was placed into doubt, as UC Riverside's leadership reportedly began considering cutting the university's entire athletics department in response to financial strain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in May 2021, the university announced that they had decided against eliminating athletics and will continue competing at the NCAA Division I level in all sports,[2][3] thus saving the men's basketball program from extinction.

Postseason[]

NCAA Division II Tournament and College Division Tournament results[]

The Highlanders have appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament 17 times (known as the College Division until 1973 but considered the same tournament). Their combined record is 29–18.

Year Round Opponent Result
1970 Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National 3rd Place Game		 Boise State
Puget Sound
Saint Joseph's (IN)
Philadelphia Textile
Buffalo State		 W 83–71
W 83–71
W 82–77
L 63–79
W 94–83
1972 Regional Semifinals
Regional 3rd Place Game		 Seattle Pacific
UC Irvine		 L 63–68
W 94–75
1973 Regional Quarterfinals
Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight		 Somona State
Puget Sound
Cal State Bakersfield
Brockport State		 W 70–68
W 71–51
W 61–54
L 70–79
1974 Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight		 Chico State
Somona State
New Orleans		 W 62–51
W 71–56
L 78–83
1975 Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight		 UC Davis
Puget Sound
New Orleans		 W 78–77
W 59–58
L 59–73
1979 Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals		 San Diego
Puget Sound		 W 62–48
L 52–77
1980 Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight		 Puget Sound
Cal Poly SLO
North Alabama		 W 65–61
W 62–53
L 69–76
1984 Regional Semifinals
Regional 3rd Place Game		 San Francisco State
Chapman		 L 57–65
W 74–71
1986 Regional Semifinals
Regional 3rd Place Game		 Alaska-Anchorage
Cal Poly SLO		 L 83–86
W 55–53
1988 Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals		 St. Cloud State
Ferris State		 W 78–71
L 64–80
1989 RegioRegional Semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National 3rd Place Game		 Somona State
Cal State Bakersfield
Millersville
Southeast Missouri State
Jacksonville State		 W 79–65
W 63–60
W 92–86
L 83–84 OT
W 90–81
1990 Regional Semifinals
Regional 3rd Place Game		 Central Missouri State
Humboldt State		 L 59–69
L 70–71
1991 Regional Semifinals
Regional 3rd Place Game		 Cal State Bakersfield
Chico State		 L 52–75
W 90–82
1992 Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals		 Grand Canyon
Cal State Bakersfield		 W 74–61
L 70–72 OT
1994 Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals		 San Francisco State
Cal State Bakersfield		 W 78–61
L 62–75
1995 Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship Game		 UC Davis
Seattle Pacific
Morningside
Indiana (PA)
Southern Indiana		 W 84–66
W 74–68
W 71–58
W 73–69
L 63–71
Regional Quarterfinals Montana State-Billings L 86–97

Season-by-season results[]

Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
(Big West Conference) (2001–2005)
2001–02 John Masi 8–18 5–13 9
2002–03 John Masi 6–18 5–13 9
2003–04 John Masi 9–19 7–11 T-5
2004–05 John Masi 9–19 4–14 9
Masi: 34–72 (.321) 21–51 (.292)


(Big West Conference) (2005–2006)
2005–06 David Spencer 5–23 3–11 8
Spencer: 5–23 (.179) 3–11 (.214)


(Big West Conference) (2006–2007)
2006–07 Vonn Webb 7–24 1–13 8
Webb: 7–24 (.226) 1–13 (.071)


Jim Wooldridge (Big West Conference) (2007–2014)
2007–08 Jim Wooldridge 9–21 4–12 7
2008–09 Jim Wooldridge 17–13 8–8 T-4
2009–10 Jim Wooldridge 12–17 5–11 T-9
2010–11 Jim Wooldridge 12–19 6–10 T-7
2011–12 Jim Wooldridge 14–17 7–9 5
2012–13 Jim Wooldridge 6–25 3–15 10
Wooldridge: 70–112 (.385) 33–65 (.337)


Dennis Cutts (Big West Conference) (2013–2018)
2013–14 Dennis Cutts 10–21 5–11 8
2014–15 Dennis Cutts 14–17 7–9 6
2015–16 Dennis Cutts 14–19 5–11 6
2016–17 Dennis Cutts 8–21 5–11 8
2017–18 Dennis Cutts 9–22 4–12 7
Cutts: 55–100 (.355) 26–54 (.325)


David Patrick (Big West Conference) (2018–present)
2018–19 David Patrick 10–23 4–12 8
2019–20 David Patrick 17–15 7–9 6
Patrick: 27–38 (.415) 11–21 (.344)


Total: 198-369 (.349)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References[]

  1. ^ "UCR Colors | Brand Identity". June 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  2. ^ Medcalf, Myron (6 May 2021). "UC Riverside won't cut sports, will remain at Division I level despite pandemic". ESPN.com. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  3. ^ Wolken, Dan (12 November 2021). "Opinion: From brink of program elimination, UC-Riverside authors one of college basketball's shining moments". USA Today. Retrieved 12 December 2021.

External links[]


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