BASKETBALL TRAVELERS, INC. ANNOUNCES LINEUP FOR THE 2023 U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS PARADISE JAM MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS

ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — The annual U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam men’s and women’s basketball tournaments return to St. Thomas and the University of Virgin Islands Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center this November. The 23rd annual men’s tournament will take place, November 17-20, while the 24th edition of the women’s tournament, will be played Nov. 23-25.
The eight-team men’s field for 2023 will begin Friday, Nov. 17 with Norfolk State vs. Fordham facing off at 2 p.m. followed by Abilene Christian and San Jose State at 4:15 p.m. In the evening doubleheader, Hampton will take on Kent State at 6:45 p.m., while Missouri State and Florida Gulf Coast will tangle at 9 p.m.
The consolation bracket will be played Saturday, Nov. 18 at 4:15 p.m. and 6:45 p.m., while day one winners advance to the semifinals that will be played Sunday, Nov. 19 at 6:45 p.m. and 9 p.m. The tournament will conclude, Monday, Nov. 20.
The seventh-place game will start at 2 p.m. followed by the fourth-place game at 4:15 p.m. The evening session with be comprised of the third-place game at 6:45 p.m. and tournament championship will tip-off at 9 p.m.
The round-robin women’s tournament will start three straight days of four games each on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23. All day session games will be the Island Tournament, as Cincinnati will face off against Colorado at 2 p.m. with Kentucky taking on NC State at 4:15 p.m. The Reef Tournament will be played each evening as it is kicked off by High Point vs. South Florida at 6:45 p.m. followed by Arizona State and Texas at 9 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 24, Kentucky will play Colorado at 2 p.m., while Cincinnati and NC State will tangle at 4:15 p.m. Arizona State and South Florida will get the evening session going at 6:45 p.m. ending with a match-up between High Point and Texas at 9 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 25, Colorado and NC State will battle at 2 p.m. with Cincinnati and Kentucky finishing the Island Bracket at 4:15 p.m. In the final day of action in the Reef Bracket, High Point will face-off against Arizona State at 6:45 p.m. with South Florida and Texas ending the Paradise Jam at 9 p.m.
“On behalf of the entire U.S. Virgin Islands, I am excited to welcome the players, coaches, and fans from these amazing collegiate programs to St. Thomas for the 23rd and 24th annual Paradise Jam tournament,” said Commissioner Joseph Boschulte, USVI Department of Tourism. “There’s no place in the world like our beautiful islands, and we invite everyone to fall Naturally in Rhythm while enjoying the games, exploring the island’s unforgettable attractions, and enjoying our pristine beaches for a little pre-season relaxation.”
Fan travel packages will be sold at a later date so you can follow your team to paradise. For more information leading up to the tournament, check out the Paradise Jam on social media, and our website paradisejam.com. All games will be streamed on ESPN+.

Men’s Field Highlights
2022 Champion – Drake; Drake and Howard were NCAA Tournament teams in 2023.
2023 participant Kent State was the AQ from the Mid-American Conference and played in last year’s NCAA Tournament.
San Jose State +11 game improvement last year was one the best in the nation. The Spartans went 8-23 in 2022 before going 21-14 in 2023.

Women’s Field Highlights
2022 Island Champion – Georgia (NCAA Tournament Team)
2022 Reef Champion – Arkansas
Colorado is ranked No. 21 in the ESPN Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2023-24 after making the Sweet 16 last year.
Along with Colorado, NC State, South Florida and Texas were NCAA Tournament Teams in 2023. High Point participated in the WNIT this past season as well.

About Basketball Travelers, Inc.
America’s leader in organizing exciting, memorable, and unique tours and tournaments for college and high school teams and their fans. We are a company established in 1985 to arrange domestic and international basketball competition. Our staff is comprised of former coaches and players who have an outstanding network of basketball contacts around the world. More information regarding BTI can be found at Basketball Travelers and please follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

About the U.S. Virgin Islands 
About 40 miles east of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands comprise a United States territory located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The three islands are St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas, where the capital of Charlotte Amalie is located. Perfect for leisure or business travel, the U.S. Virgin Islands features breathtaking, world-renowned beaches, an international marine industry, European architecture, and a burgeoning restaurant industry. No passports are required from U.S. citizens traveling from the U.S. mainland or Puerto Rico. Entry requirements for non-U.S. citizens are equivalent to entering the United States from any international country. Upon departure, a passport is required for non-U.S. citizens. For more information about the United States Virgin Islands, go to www.VisitUSVI.com, follow us on Instagram (@visitusvi) and Twitter (@usvitourism), and become a fan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/VisitUSVI).