| Current: | 2024–25 UC Riverside Highlanders men's basketball team |
| UC Riverside Highlanders men's basketball | |
| University: | University of California, Riverside |
| Conference: | Big West |
| Location: | Riverside, California |
| Coach: | Mike Magpayo |
| Tenure: | 5th |
| 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 |
| 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 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,[1] [2] thus saving the men's basketball program from extinction.
The Highlanders appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament 17 times (named the College Division Tournament until 1973). Their combined record was 29–18.
| 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 | ||
| Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game | L 63–68 W 94–75 | |||
| 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 | ||
| Regional semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight | Chico State Somona State New Orleans | W 62–51 W 71–56 L 78–83 | ||
| Regional semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight | UC Davis Puget Sound New Orleans | W 78–77 W 59–58 L 59–73 | ||
| Regional semifinals Regional Finals | San Diego Puget Sound | W 62–48 L 52–77 | ||
| Regional semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight | Puget Sound Cal Poly SLO North Alabama | W 65–61 W 62–53 L 69–76 | ||
| Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game | San Francisco State Chapman | L 57–65 W 74–71 | ||
| Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game | Alaska-Anchorage Cal Poly SLO | L 83–86 W 55–53 | ||
| Regional semifinals Regional Finals | St. Cloud State Ferris State | W 78–71 L 64–80 | ||
| 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 | ||
| Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game | Central Missouri State Humboldt State | L 59–69 L 70–71 | ||
| Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game | Cal State Bakersfield Chico State | L 52–75 W 90–82 | ||
| Regional semifinals Regional Finals | Grand Canyon Cal State Bakersfield | W 74–61 L 70–72 OT | ||
| Regional semifinals Regional Finals | San Francisco State Cal State Bakersfield | W 78–61 L 62–75 | ||
| 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 |