The 2009-10 Athlon Sports College Basketball issue is now on news stands, and the magazine tabs UC Riverside swingman Kyle Austin as the Big West Conference MVP this season. The magazine also picks the Highlanders to finish fourth in the conference this season behind Long Beach State, UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Northridge.
UC Riverside is coming off of a
17-13 season that marked the team’s first winning campaign as a Division I program and its best record since the 1996-97 season. Their fourth place finish in the Big West Conference was also the highest ever for the Highlanders. UC Riverside opponents averaged just 60.6 points per game on the year - the 27th lowest total in the nation.
The Highlanders will tip off the 2009-10 season on Thursday, November 5 against the Redlands Bulldogs beginning at 7 pm at the UC Riverside Student Recreation Center (SRC). (
View the entire 2009-10 men's basketball schedule)
The Redlands game is the first of six non-conference home games for the Highlanders who also play host to La Verne (Nov. 19, 7 pm), San Jose State (Nov. 22, 2 pm), CSU Bakersfield (Dec. 2, 7 pm), San Diego (Dec. 4, 8 pm) and Berry College (Dec. 16, 7 pm). The team’s final non-conference opponent will be determined in early February as the Highlanders once again take part in the ESPNU BracketBusters series on February 20.
Big West Conference play begins at the SRC with a 7 pm tip against Long Beach State on January 2. The 2008-09 conference champs, Cal State Northridge, make their way to Riverside on February 4 for a 7 pm start. Homecoming 2010 is slated for Saturday, February 13 with Cal Poly as the opponent for the 5pm tilt.