2008 Paradise Jam Tournament

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2008 Paradise Jam Tournament
Teams8
Finals siteSports and Fitness Center
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
ChampionsConnecticut (men's)
Wisconsin (women's Island)
California (women's Reef)
MVPHasheem Thabeet, Connecticut (men's)
Alyssa Karel, Wisconsin (women's Island)
Ashley Walker, California (women's Reef)
Paradise Jam Tournament

The 2008 Paradise Jam was an early-season men's and women's college basketball tournament. The tournament, which began in 2000, was part of the 2008-09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season and . The tournament was played at the Sports and Fitness Center in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Connecticut won the men's tournament, in the women's tournament Wisconsin won Island Division, and California won the women's Reef Division.

Men's Tournament[]

Connecticut Team photo 2008 Paradise Jam winners

In the first round, Wisconsin took on unranked Iona, and won, but by only two points 60–58.[1] Miami faced unranked Southern Miss and won by ten, 70–50. Connecticut played LaSalle and Connecticut won 89–81; with A.J. Price returning to play after an ankle injury, but still suffering from an abscessed tooth.[2]

In the second round, Connecticut faced Miami, but won by 13 points, 76–63. Wisconsin faced San Diego, the winner of the first round game against Valparaiso, and won 64–49. In the championship game UConn faced Wisconsin, but opened up a ten-point lead by halftime, and extended it to a 19-point victory at the end of the game, with a final score of 76–57.[3] Jerome Dyson was the leading scorer for Connecticut, while Hasheem Thabeet earned the Tournament MVP honors.[4]

Bracket[]

  5th Place Game
November 24 		Consolation 2nd Round
November 23 		First Round
November 21 		Semifinals
November 23 		Championship
November 24
                                               
       Southern Miss  60  
     16  Miami  79  
     Southern Miss  76        16  Miami  63  
     La Salle  72        2  Connecticut  76  
     La Salle  81
     2  Connecticut  89  
     Southern Miss  64        2  Connecticut  76
     Iona  63        22  Wisconsin  57
       San Diego  73  
         Valparaiso  66  
   Valparaiso  55          San Diego  49
  7th Place Game        Iona  75        22  Wisconsin  64     3rd Place Game
     La Salle  75      Iona  58    16  Miami (FL)  80
     Valparaiso  70      22  Wisconsin  60        San Diego  45

Women's Tournament[]

The woman's tournament is organized as two divisions of four teams, each playing each other in a round-robin format.[5]

Island Division[]

In the opening round, Wisconsin beat Villanova by two points 47–45, while 7th ranked Baylor beat UCF 79–67.[6] In the second round, Wisconsin improved to 2–0 with a 65–61 victory over UCF, as well as Baylor who beat Villanova 62–57.[7] Baylor had a 21–2 run early in the game to take a large lead, and the Bears still held a 16-point lead at halftime. The Wildcats cut the lead to three with just over two minutes left in the game, but Baylor hit five of six free throws to hold on to the victory 52–57.[8]

On the final day, Villanova beat UCF to finish in third place. In the championship game, the two undefeated teams faced each other. Unranked Wisconsin was down by six points at halftime, and Baylor still lead by five points with under three minutes to go when Wisconsin scored six straight points to take the lead, ending with a two-point jump shot with seven seconds left in the game by Alyssa Karel. Baylor had one last shot; Melissa Jones was fouled at the buzzer, but missed both free throws to secure the Paradise Jam Championship (Island) for Wisconsin.[9] Wisconsin's Alyssa Karel won the tournament MVP award.[5]

Reef Division[]

California Team photo 2008 Paradise Jam winners

In the first round Iowa played Texas Tech. The halftime margin was two points in favor of Iowa, and they extended the lead to win the game 56–48. In the other game 3rd ranked California took on South Florida and won easily, 85–55.[6] In the second round South Florida took Iowa to overtime, then won 82–79 in overtime. California played Texas Tech and won 68–54.[10] On the final day, South Florida beat Texas Tech to earn second place in the division with a 2–1 record. California easily beat Iowa 76–43 to go undefeated and win the 2008 Paradise Jam Championship (Reef)[10] California's Ashley Walker won the Tournament MVP.[5]

References[]

  1. ^ "Scores for November 21, 2008". ESPN. Retrieved 26 Dec 2012.
  2. ^ "No. 2 UConn needs inside muscle to dump feisty La Salle". ESPN. Retrieved 26 Dec 2012.
  3. ^ Gardner, James (Nov 25, 2008). "UConn Stomps Wisconsin 76–57 to Win Paradise Jam". St. Croix Source. V.I. Source Publications, Inc. Retrieved 27 Dec 2012.
  4. ^ "No. 2 UConn hands No. 19 Wisconsin its first loss in Paradise Jam". ESPN. Retrieved 26 Dec 2012.
  5. ^ a b c "Tournament History & Statistics". Basketball Travelers, Inc. Archived from the original on 2013-01-25. Retrieved 23 Dec 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Scores for November 27, 2008". ESPN. Retrieved 26 Dec 2012.
  7. ^ "Scores for November 28, 2008". ESPN. Retrieved 26 Dec 2012.
  8. ^ "No. 7 Baylor defeats Villanova at Paradise Jam". ESPN. Retrieved 26 Dec 2012.
  9. ^ "Karel pulls Wisconsin to victory over No. 7 Baylor in final minutes". ESPN. Retrieved 26 Dec 2012.
  10. ^ a b "WOMEN'S "REEF" division 2008" (PDF). Basketball travelers, Inc. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-15. Retrieved 26 Dec 2012.
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