Kansas State Basketball In Paradise Jam For Third Time In School History
For the third time in the 24-year-old tournament, Kansas State men’s basketball team will play in the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands.
The Wildcats take on George Washington Nov. 22 in the tournament that runs Friday through Monday (Nov. 22-25), at the University of Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center in St. Thomas, U.S. V.I.
K-State previously played in Paradise Jam in 2002 and 2018, reaching the championship game in 2018. It will be the first time head coach Jerome Tang will lead the Wildcats in this tournament.
The Wildcats and the Atlantic 10’s George Washington will meet for the sixth time in their respective histories in the final game of the first day of the tournament at 7 p.m., CT on Friday, November 22. Big South Tournament champion Longwood and AAC Tournament champion UAB will meet in the tournament opener at 11:30 a.m., CT followed by Illinois State and Southland Conference champion McNeese at 2 p.m., CT. Louisiana and Liberty will open the evening session at 4:30 p.m., CT followed by the Wildcats and Revolutionaries.
The K-State/GW winner will advance to face the winner of the contest between Louisiana and Liberty on Sunday, November 24 at 7 p.m., CT, while the two remaining teams will play on Saturday, November 23 at 4:30 p.m., CT.
In the opponent bracket, the winner of the first game between Longwood and UAB will play the winner of the second game between Illinois State and McNeese on Sunday, November 24 at 4:30 p.m., CT, while the two remaining teams will play on Saturday, November 23 at 2 p.m., CT.
The winner of each bracket will face off in the championship game on Monday, November 25 at 7 p.m., CT. There will be three consolation games that will precede the title contest at 11:30 a.m., CT (seventh-place game), 2 p.m., CT (fourth-place game) and 4:30 p.m., CT (third-place game), respectively.
All games will be streamed on ESPN platforms.
Six of the eight teams in the Paradise Jam won 18 or more games in 2023-24, while Longwood, McNeese and UAB all advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
David Boyce is a contributing writer to K-State On SI. He can be reached at davidboyce95@gmail.com.
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DAVID BOYCE