UC Riverside basketball had its finest season as a Division I basketball program in 24 years throughout the 2024-25 marketing campaign. The Highlanders, who had by no means earlier than performed within the postseason as a D-I program, performed so effectively they earned two postseason invites.
They simply weren’t conscious of the second — the NIT — was even a chance, a supply near this system instructed CBS Sports activities.
UC Riverside turned a viral social media story Sunday night because the NIT introduced 32-team area. The Highlanders have been included within the bracket with a recreation scheduled for March 18 in opposition to second-seeded Santa Clara.
There was only one downside: The Highlanders had already accepted a bid into the CBI, one other postseason basketball match.
Thus, for a second Sunday, UC Riverside was scheduled to play in each tournaments. That won’t occur as NCAA guidelines dictate a college many solely take part in a single postseason match. UC Riverside opted to go along with the NIT, a extra prestigious occasion within the postseason match pecking order.
However this begs the query: How does a group find yourself in two postseason tournaments within the first place?Â
It occurred as a result of UC Riverside had not had any communication with the NIT beforehand, per a supply near this system, who insisted on anonymity as a way to focus on personal conversations.Â
“UC Riverside was not knowledgeable by the NIT that they have been going to be chosen,” the supply near this system stated. “It discovered after the bracket was publicly launched, which was after that they had already accepted a bid from the CBI. Apparently, after discussions have been had, it was decided UC Riverside would take part within the NIT.”
The trickle-up impact of UC Riverside’s determination to belatedly settle for its spot meant that South Alabama, which had been provided an NIT spot, had the rug pulled out from underneath it.
The NIT’s board of managers launched an announcement explaining and apologizing for the mix-up relating to UC Riverside and South Alabama. It fell on deaf ears for South Alabama coach Richie Riley, who blasted the NIT with the next assertion on social media and spoke to the sense amongst some coaches and directors that communication from the NIT’s board of managers this cycle was unsatisfactory.Â
“A meaningless apology to essentially the most significant group of gamers I’ve ever coached! What they did to us final night time is inexcusable! These guys in our locker room do not deserve this and it is unhappy your thought of constructing it proper is a replica and paste apology!”
UC Riverside, which completed the common season at 21-11 total and 14-6 in convention play, third within the league standings behind UC San Diego and UC Irvine, started championship week pondering it had a great shot to get into the NIT if it didn’t win the Huge West Match.
However after dropping Thursday to Cal Poly within the opening recreation, a multi-day ready interval for this system resulted in nothing however crickets. By Sunday night, the Highlanders had not heard from the NIT and figured they have been out of the working provided that the Huge West often solely will get one entrant into the NCAA Match (UC San Diego) and UC Irvine ranked effectively forward of them within the NET rankings.
On condition that UC Riverside hadn’t heard something from the Huge West or the NIT from Thursday to Saturday about its postseason standing, this system accepted the CBI bid.
Not lengthy after, the Highlanders have been introduced as a participant within the NIT, creating the odd scenario that occurred Sunday night as followers started to fill out their brackets.
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“As we proceed to construct our program at UCR, garnering the eye of match committees is an honor and to obtain a number of postseason invites is indicative of our program’s development,” athletics director Wesley Mallette stated in an announcement launched by the college. “That is an thrilling time and a testomony to move coach Mike Magpayo‘s management and the onerous work and expertise of our student-athletes, coaches and workers.”