RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The Highalnders opened the Gus Argenal era in emphatic fashion Monday night, rolling to a 90-49 win over La Sierra at SRC Arena in the 2025–26 season opener.

The Highlanders controlled the game from start to finish, outscoring the Golden Eagles 45–27 in the first half and matching that effort after the break to seal a dominant 41-point victory in Argenal's debut.

Andrew Henderson led the way with a team-high 19 points, connecting on 7-of-17 from the field and three from beyond the arc while adding seven rebounds and three assists. Osiris Grady was a force inside and out, finishing with 17 points and eight rebounds on 7-of-13 shooting. Marqui Worthy stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, four rebounds, and two assists, while BJ Kolly added nine points, seven rebounds, and a pair of blocks.

Dylan Godfrey was instrumental on both ends, posting seven rebounds and a team-high seven assists along with 10 points, while freshman Tyler Jones made a splash in limited minutes, drilling all three of his three-point attempts for nine points.

UC Riverside shot 44.7 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from deep, outrebounding La Sierra 44–36 and forcing 20 turnovers that led to 35 points. The Highlanders' balance and energy were on full display, with 10 different players finding the scoring column and the bench contributing 27 points.

Henderson caught fire midway through the first half with a series of threes that pushed UCR's lead to double digits, and the Highlanders never looked back. A 13–0 run in the second half blew the game wide open, as Argenal's squad showcased a fast, aggressive style on both ends of the floor.

UC Riverside will look to build on its strong start when travel to take on North Dakota, Thursday, Nov. 6th with tip off set for 5pm.