TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team will participate in the 2023 U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam tournament, the Basketball Travels, Inc. organization announced on Monday.
"This is one of the premier early-season tournaments and we are excited for the opportunity to compete against a talented field in the U.S. Virgin Islands," head coach Katrina Merriweather said. "We appreciate the investment in our program and the ability to enhance the student-athlete experience for our players."
The 24th installment of the three-day event will be held at the University of Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center from Nov. 23-25 in St. Thomas and televised on ESPN networks. This marks Cincinnati's first-ever appearance in the Thanksgiving holiday tournament.
In addition to Cincinnati, the eight-team field will be comprised of Colorado, Kentucky, NC State, Texas, South Florida, Arizona State and High Point. Cincinnati will face Colorado and NC State – both 2023 NCAA Tournament teams – in addition to Kentucky in round-robin action on the Island Tournament side of the bracket.
Cincinnati enters its inaugural season as a member of the Big 12 Conference in Merriweather's first season at the helm of her alma mater. The program welcomes back seven letterwinners, five of which totaled double-digit starts last season, and adds seven more newcomers, highlighted by All-AAC Freshman Team selection and Memphis transfer Destiny Thomas and Penn State transfer Aicha Dia in the offseason.
Travel packages will be available at a later date so fans can follow their team to the Virgin Islands. For more tournament information, check out the Paradise Jam on social media or the website paradisejam.com.
2023 U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam Island Tournament Schedule – All Times Eastern Time Zone
Thursday, Nov. 23
Game 1 – Cincinnati vs. Colorado at 1 p.m.
Game 2 – Kentucky vs. NC State at 3:15 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 24
Game 3 – Kentucky vs. Colorado at 1 p.m.
Game 4 – Cincinnati vs. NC State at 3:15 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 25
Game 5 – Colorado vs. NC State at 1 p.m.
Game 6 – Cincinnati vs. Kentucky at 3:15 p.m.
"This is one of the premier early-season tournaments and we are excited for the opportunity to compete against a talented field in the U.S. Virgin Islands," head coach Katrina Merriweather said. "We appreciate the investment in our program and the ability to enhance the student-athlete experience for our players."
The 24th installment of the three-day event will be held at the University of Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center from Nov. 23-25 in St. Thomas and televised on ESPN networks. This marks Cincinnati's first-ever appearance in the Thanksgiving holiday tournament.
In addition to Cincinnati, the eight-team field will be comprised of Colorado, Kentucky, NC State, Texas, South Florida, Arizona State and High Point. Cincinnati will face Colorado and NC State – both 2023 NCAA Tournament teams – in addition to Kentucky in round-robin action on the Island Tournament side of the bracket.
Cincinnati enters its inaugural season as a member of the Big 12 Conference in Merriweather's first season at the helm of her alma mater. The program welcomes back seven letterwinners, five of which totaled double-digit starts last season, and adds seven more newcomers, highlighted by All-AAC Freshman Team selection and Memphis transfer Destiny Thomas and Penn State transfer Aicha Dia in the offseason.
Travel packages will be available at a later date so fans can follow their team to the Virgin Islands. For more tournament information, check out the Paradise Jam on social media or the website paradisejam.com.
2023 U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam Island Tournament Schedule – All Times Eastern Time Zone
Thursday, Nov. 23
Game 1 – Cincinnati vs. Colorado at 1 p.m.
Game 2 – Kentucky vs. NC State at 3:15 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 24
Game 3 – Kentucky vs. Colorado at 1 p.m.
Game 4 – Cincinnati vs. NC State at 3:15 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 25
Game 5 – Colorado vs. NC State at 1 p.m.
Game 6 – Cincinnati vs. Kentucky at 3:15 p.m.