Sportscaster Bobby Curran’s lengthy career as a play-by-play announcer will come to an end following tonight’s Big West basketball game between Hawaii and Cal State Bakersfield in SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
“It will be emotional,” said Curran, whose career will be celebrated during halftime.
The decision is based on recent diabetic circumstances and not linked to the successful double-lung transplant he underwent in November 2022. He will continue to serve as host of his popular morning radio show.
For 32 years, Curran was the play-by-play announcer for UH football games before he was diagnosed with emphysema in 2021. His condition was first exacerbated when he experienced oxygen-intake problems during a game in Reno, which is 4,505 feet above sea level. After missing that game, he called the final six games of the 2021 football season. He also continued calling UH basketball games.
After undergoing the double-lung transplant, Curran returned to the airwaves last July 24 for his radio show, which has been temporarily reduced from 3 hours to between 6 and 7 a.m. Curran had been set to call all of the UH basketball games this season. But after a medical incident during a road trip last month, Curran was used only for home games.
The outcomes of today’s games — the last of the regular season — will determine the seeds for this coming week’s eight-team Big West Tournament in Henderson, Nev.
UC Irvine, at 16-3 in league play, already has clinched the No. 1 seed. UC San Diego will finish second but is ineligible for the tournament because it is serving the final season of a four-year transition to Division I. That propels UC Davis to the No. 2 seed. UC Irvine and UC Davis will have two byes in the tournament, with their first games in the semifinals.
Hawaii and Long Beach State are tied for the third seed at 10-9. They split their season series at a game apiece. The ’Bows can earn the third, fourth or fifth seed depending on the results of today’s games.
UH’s opponent 8-11 Cal State Bakersfield is battling 7-12 Cal State Fullerton for the eighth — and final — seed. CSUB and CSUF, which plays UC Irvine today, split their two-game series.
UC Santa Barbara and UC Riverside — currently tied for the fifth — play each other today.
The third and fourth seeds receive opening-round byes.
The fifth through eighth seeds play in Wednesday’s first round.
This will be the final UH home game for seniors Bernardo da Silva, Noel Coleman, JoVon McClanahan, Juan Munoz, Justin McKoy and Matt Cotton.
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At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD (13-17, 8-11 BW) VS. HAWAII (18-13, 10-9 BW)
>> When: 7:05 tonight
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1420-AM, 92.7-FM
>> Promotion: Free admission for ages 18 and younger
