UC Riverside Highlanders men's basketball
{{Infobox college basketball team
|current = 2024–25 UC Riverside Highlanders men's basketball team
|name = UC Riverside Highlanders
men's basketball
|logo = UC Riverside Highlanders logo.svg
|logo_size = 100
|university = University of California, Riverside
|conference = Big West
|location = Riverside, California
|coach = Vacant
|tenure =
|arena = Student Recreation Center Arena
|capacity = 3,168
|nickname = Highlanders
|h_body = 003da5|h_shorts = 003da5|h_pattern_b = _thinsidesonwhite|h_pattern_s = _blanksides2
|a_body = 003da5|a_shorts = 003da5|a_pattern_b = _thingoldsides2|a_pattern_s = _thingoldsides
|3_body = 003da5|3_shorts = 003da5|3_pattern_b = _thinsidesonblack|3_pattern_s = _blanksides_on_black
|NCAAchampion =
|NCAArunnerup = Division II: 1995
|NCAAfinalfour = Division II: 1970, 1989, 1995
|NCAAeliteeight=Division II: 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1980, 1989, 1995
|NCAAsweetsixteen=Division II: 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995
|NCAAtourneys =Division II: 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997
}}
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 their head coach position is currently vacant. 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,{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/31399980|title=UC Riverside won't cut sports, will remain at Division I level despite pandemic|last=Medcalf|first=Myron|date=6 May 2021|website=ESPN.com|access-date=12 December 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/columnist/dan-wolken/2021/11/12/uc-riverside-mens-college-basketball-brink-elimination-stunning-win/8592295002/|title=Opinion: From brink of program elimination, UC-Riverside authors one of college basketball's shining moments|last=Wolken|first=Dan|date=12 November 2021|work=USA Today|access-date=12 December 2021}} thus saving the men's basketball program from extinction.
Postseason
=NIT results=
The Highlanders have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) one time. Their record is 0–1.
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{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=UC Riverside Highlanders|Year|Round|Opponent|Result}} | |||
| align="center"
|2025 | First Round | Santa Clara | L 62–101 |
=NCAA Division II Tournament results=
The Highlanders appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament 17 times (named the College Division Tournament until 1973). Their combined record was 29–18.
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| {{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=UC Riverside Highlanders|Year|Round|Opponent|Result}} | |||
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| 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 |
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| 1972 | Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game | Seattle Pacific UC Irvine | L 63–68 W 94–75 |
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| 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 |
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| 1974 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight | Chico State Somona State New Orleans | W 62–51 W 71–56 L 78–83 |
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| 1975 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight | UC Davis Puget Sound New Orleans | W 78–77 W 59–58 L 59–73 |
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| 1979 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals | San Diego Puget Sound | W 62–48 L 52–77 |
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| 1980 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight | Puget Sound Cal Poly SLO North Alabama | W 65–61 W 62–53 L 69–76 |
| align="center"
| 1984 | Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game | San Francisco State Chapman | L 57–65 W 74–71 |
| align="center"
| 1986 | Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game | Alaska-Anchorage Cal Poly SLO | L 83–86 W 55–53 |
| align="center"
| 1988 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals | St. Cloud State Ferris State | W 78–71 L 64–80 |
| align="center"
| 1989 | Regional 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 |
| align="center"
| 1990 | Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game | Central Missouri State Humboldt State | L 59–69 L 70–71 |
| align="center"
| 1991 | Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game | Cal State Bakersfield Chico State | L 52–75 W 90–82 |
| align="center"
| 1992 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals | Grand Canyon Cal State Bakersfield | W 74–61 L 70–72 OT |
| align="center"
| 1994 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals | San Francisco State Cal State Bakersfield | W 78–61 L 62–75 |
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| 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 |
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| 1997 | Regional Quarterfinals | Montana State-Billings | L 86–97 |
Season-by-season results
{{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = team | conference = | postseason = | poll = both}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = John Masi
| conference=Big West Conference
| startyear =2001
| endyear =2005
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2001–02 | name = John Masi | overall = 8–18 | conference = 5–13 | confstanding = 9th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2002–03 | name = John Masi | overall = 6–18 | conference = 5–13 | confstanding = 9th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2003–04 | name = John Masi | overall = 11–17 | conference = 7–11 | confstanding = T–5th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2004–05 | name = John Masi | overall = 9–19 | conference = 4–14 | confstanding = 9th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Masi
| overall = 34–72 ({{winpct|34|72}})
| confrecord = 21–51 ({{winpct|21|51}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = David Spencer
| conference=Big West Conference
| startyear =2005
| endyear =2006
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2005–06 | name = David Spencer | overall = 5–23 | conference = 3–11 | confstanding = 8th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Spencer
| overall = 5–23 ({{winpct|5|23}})
| confrecord = 3–11 ({{winpct|3|11}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Vonn Webb
| conference=Big West Conference
| startyear =2006
| endyear =2007
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2006–07 | name = Vonn Webb | overall = 7–24 | conference = 1–13 | confstanding = 8th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Webb
| overall = 7–24 ({{winpct|7|24}})
| confrecord = 1–13 ({{winpct|1|13}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Jim Wooldridge
| conference=Big West Conference
| startyear =2007
| endyear =2014
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2007–08 | name = Jim Wooldridge | overall = 9–21 | conference = 4–12 | confstanding = 7th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2008–09 | name = Jim Wooldridge | overall = 17–13 | conference = 8–8 | confstanding = T–4th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2009–10 | name = Jim Wooldridge | overall = 12–17 | conference = 5–11 | confstanding = T–9th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2010–11 | name = Jim Wooldridge | overall = 12–19 | conference = 6–10 | confstanding = T–7th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2011–12 | name = Jim Wooldridge | overall = 14–17 | conference = 7–9 | confstanding = 5th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2012–13 | name = Jim Wooldridge | overall = 6–25 | conference = 3–15 | confstanding = 10th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Wooldridge
| overall = 70–112 ({{winpct|70|112}})
| confrecord = 33–65 ({{winpct|33|65}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Dennis Cutts
| conference=Big West Conference
| startyear =2013
| endyear =2018
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2013–14 | name = Dennis Cutts | overall = 10–21 | conference = 5–11 | confstanding = 8th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2014–15 | name = Dennis Cutts | overall = 14–17 | conference = 7–9| confstanding = 6th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2015–16 | name = Dennis Cutts | overall = 14–19 | conference = 5–11| confstanding = 6th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2016–17 | name = Dennis Cutts | overall = 7–21 | conference = 5–11| confstanding = 8th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2017–18 | name = Dennis Cutts | overall = 9–22 | conference = 4–12| confstanding = 7th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Cutts
| overall = 54–100 ({{winpct|54|100}})
| confrecord = 26–54 ({{winpct|26|54}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = David Patrick
| conference=Big West Conference
| startyear =2018
| endyear =2020
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2018–19 | name = David Patrick | overall = 10–23 | conference = 4–12 | confstanding = 8th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2019–20 | name = David Patrick | overall = 17–15 | conference = 7–9| confstanding = 6th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Patrick
| overall = 27–38 ({{winpct|27|38}})
| confrecord = 11–21 ({{winpct|11|21}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Mike Magpayo
| conference=Big West Conference
| startyear =2020
| endyear =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2020–21 | name = Mike Magpayo | overall = 14–8 | conference = 8–4 | confstanding = 3rd | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2021–22 | name = Mike Magpayo | overall = 16–12 | conference = 9–6 | confstanding = 6th | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2022–23 | name = Mike Magpayo | overall = 21–11 | conference = 14–6 | confstanding = 3rd | postseason = | ranking = | ranking2 = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2023–24
| name = Mike Magpayo
| overall = 16–18
| conference = 10–10
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2024–25
| name = Mike Magpayo
| overall = 21–13
| conference = 14–6
| confstanding = T–3rd
| postseason = NIT First round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Magpayo
| overall = 89–63 ({{winpct|89|63}})
| confrecord = 55–32 ({{winpct|55|32}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End | overall = 286–433 ({{winpct|286|433}})
| poll = | polltype= | polltype2 = }}