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 is Gus Argenal, who is in his first year with the program. 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, 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.
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.
1970 Regional semifinalsRegional FinalsElite EightFinal FourNational 3rd-place game Boise StatePuget SoundSaint Joseph's (IN)Philadelphia TextileBuffalo State W 83–71W 83–71W 82–77L 63–79W 94–83 1972 Regional semifinalsRegional 3rd-place game Seattle PacificUC Irvine L 63–68W 94–75 1973 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional semifinalsRegional FinalsElite Eight Somona StatePuget SoundCal State BakersfieldBrockport State W 70–68W 71–51W 61–54L 70–79 1974 Regional semifinalsRegional FinalsElite Eight Chico StateSomona StateNew Orleans W 62–51W 71–56L 78–83 1975 Regional semifinalsRegional FinalsElite Eight UC DavisPuget SoundNew Orleans W 78–77W 59–58L 59–73 1979 Regional semifinalsRegional Finals San DiegoPuget Sound W 62–48L 52–77 1980 Regional semifinalsRegional FinalsElite Eight Puget SoundCal Poly SLONorth Alabama W 65–61W 62–53L 69–76 1984 Regional semifinalsRegional 3rd-place game San Francisco StateChapman L 57–65W 74–71 1986 Regional semifinalsRegional 3rd-place game Alaska-AnchorageCal Poly SLO L 83–86W 55–53 1988 Regional semifinalsRegional Finals St. Cloud StateFerris State W 78–71L 64–80 1989 Regional semifinalsRegional FinalsElite EightFinal FourNational 3rd-place game Somona StateCal State BakersfieldMillersvilleSoutheast Missouri StateJacksonville State W 79–65W 63–60W 92–86L 83–84 OTW 90–81 1990 Regional semifinalsRegional 3rd-place game Central Missouri StateHumboldt State L 59–69L 70–71 1991 Regional semifinalsRegional 3rd-place game Cal State BakersfieldChico State L 52–75W 90–82 1992 Regional semifinalsRegional Finals Grand CanyonCal State Bakersfield W 74–61L 70–72 OT 1994 Regional semifinalsRegional Finals San Francisco StateCal State Bakersfield W 78–61L 62–75 1995 Regional semifinalsRegional FinalsElite EightFinal FourNational Championship Game UC DavisSeattle PacificMorningsideIndiana (PA)Southern Indiana W 84–66W 74–68W 71–58W 73–69L 63–71 1997 Regional Quarterfinals Montana State-Billings L 86–97
Season-by-season results
References
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