The UC Riverside men’s basketball team is taking its argument to the courts.
The Highlanders are hopeful this season’s on-court success will dismiss any thoughts of eliminating the school’s 15-sport program.
“Absolutely,” said coach Mike Magpayo, whose third-seeded Highlanders face No. 6 Hawaii in Thursday’s quarterfinals of the Big West tournament in Las Vegas. The third seed is the Highlanders’ highest since joining the Big West in 2001. Their eight conference victories (in 12 games) match a school record, and it was achieved in four fewer games than the 2008-09 team that went 8-8.
Last summer, the UCR Budget Advisory Committee recommended several cost-cutting measure, most notably eliminating the athletic teams. It was suggested the savings could be used “for a more robust intramural program for the campus.”
According to a USA Today report. 90% of the UCR’s athletic department’s $23.2 million in annual revenue comes from institutional support ($18.7 million) and student fees ($2.3 million). The pandemic has strained the school’s finances.
“Obviously people talk about it,” Maypayo said. “Even when we beat Washington the first game — we didn’t know Washington wasn’t going to have a great year at the time — a lot of people, even back then, thought we made enough noise (on the basketball court) to, at least, continue the debate (of preserving sports) and, maybe, get it off the table, like the threat off the table.”
Magpayo is admittedly biased in believing it is “a little silly” to consider eliminating sports.
“I’m a basketball coach,” Magpayo said. “Of course, I think basketball is important to any university. I’m a product of another UC (Santa Barbara). A big part of the reason I chose that is because they had athletics. They didn’t have football, but they had a good, hardy athletics program. I can’t imagine a nationally relevant university without athletics. I can’t even name (one). I’ve looked. … I can’t even find one we’ve all heard of.”
Magpayo, who was promoted after head coach David Patrick left UCR last summer, said he has tried not to let the advisory committee’s suggestions interfere with his team’s focus.
“Just completely ignore it,” Magpayo said. “I’ve completely compartmentalized from the beginning.”
Magpayo said the players are aware of the suggestions.
“They see it,” Magpayo said. “It’s on social media. It’s been talked about. … We’ve been able to compartmentalize, just stay focused on the task at hand. I think it would be unfair to put that on their shoulders, put it on our shoulders. We’ve just completely stayed focused on this journey. I can’t imagine a university, a relevant university, without athletics. I’ve just got a lot of faith it’s going to get done and be fine.”
BWC tournament
at Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas
>> Who: Hawaii (11-9, 9-9 Big West) vs. UC Riverside (13-7, 8-4)
>> When: 6 p.m. Thursday
>> Radio: 1420-AM
>> Live stream: ESPN3
