2015 Paradise Jam Tournament

The 2015 Paradise Jam Tournament was a men's and women's preseason college basketball tournament that took place in Saint Thomas at the Sports and Fitness Center. South Carolina won the men's division while Rutgers won the women's Island Division and Maryland won the women's Reef Division.

2015 Paradise Jam Tournament

Season	2014–15
Teams	8 men's, 8 women's
Finals site	Sports and Fitness Center Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Paradise Jam Tournament

Men's Tournament

Bracket

	First Round November 20					Semifinals November 22 CBSSN					Championship November 23 CBSSN
	Ohio		88
	Tulsa		90
						Tulsa		67
						Indiana State		59
	Indiana State		70
	Norfolk State		61
											Tulsa		75
											South Carolina		83
	Hofstra		82
	Florida State		77
						Hofstra		84
						South Carolina		94
	DePaul		61
	South Carolina		76

	3rd Place game November 23 CBSSN
	Indiana State		67
	Hofstra		66

	Consolation 2nd Round November 21					5th Place Game November 23
		Ohio	93
		Norfolk State	71
						Ohio		81
						Florida State		90
	Florida State		83
	DePaul		67

	7th Place Game November 23
	Norfolk State		78
	DePaul		82

Women's Tournament

The women's tournament was played from November 26–28. The women's tournament consisted of 8 teams split into two 4-team, round-robin divisions: Island and Reef.

Participating Teams

Island Division:

• UW-Green Bay
• Virginia
• Rutgers
• Tulane

Reef Division:

• Old Dominion
• Maryland
• South Dakota State
• Pittsburgh

Island division

In the first round of the Reef division Rutgers took on Tulane. Rutgers pulled out to a 10-point lead by the end of the first quarter and extended the lead each successive quarter to win the game 75–51. Rutgers' Kahleah Copper was the high scorer with 28 points. Virginia played Green Bay. Virginia fell behind by 12 points at the end of the first quarter but outscored the Phoenix 22–7 in the third quarter and held on to win 68–59. Mikayla Venson was the high score for Virginia with 25 points, while Tesha Buck scored 24 points for Green Bay.[1]

Reef division

South Dakota State and Pittsburgh played a close game in the opening round. With just over two minutes to go in the game the Jackrabbits were down by two points. Kerri Young hit a three pointer to put the team up by a single point 55–54. Each team then missed their remaining shots and South Dakota State prevailed. Young was the leading scorer for the Jackrabbits with 15 points.[2] In the other Island division game, Maryland started out very strong, outscoring Old Dominion University 30–6 in the first quarter. They played even in the second quarter but Maryland outscored Old Dominion in each of the final two quarters to win the game 95 – 49. Maryland's Brene Moseley 26 points a career-high to help the Terrapins win the game.[1][3]

Island division

In the second round, Green Bay took on the Tulane Green Wave. Green Bay opened up a one-point lead at the end of the first quarter extended it to four points by halftime, then continue to outscore the green wave in the final two periods to win the game 79–58. Rutgers took on Virginia. The score was tied at the end of the first quarter, and the Scarlet Knights took a two-point lead into halftime. The scoring was close again in the third quarter but Rutgers outscored Virginia 18–11 in the final quarter to in the game 60–48. Kahleah Copper was again the high score for Rutgers with 21 points.[4]

Reef division

Old Dominion faced Pittsburgh in the second round of the Island division. ODU opened up a small four-point lead at the end of the first quarter, but Pittsburgh came back and led by three points at the half. Each team scored 14 points in the third quarter but Pittsburgh outscored ODU in the final quarter to win the game 67–58. Aysia Bugg was the high scorer for Pittsburgh with 18 points while Jennie Sims scored 17 points for ODU.[4] In the other Island division game, Maryland faced the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State. The Terrapins started out strongly, leading the jackrabbit 17–4 at the end of the first quarter. However South Dakota State outscored Maryland in the second and third quarters and had taken the lead by two points in the fourth quarter. Maryland responded with eight straight points to take a four-point lead but the Jackrabbits cut the lead back to within one with just over a minute to go. South Dakota would not score again and Maryland hit free throws in the final minute to win the close game 62 – 55.[5]

Island division

Rutgers took on Green Bay for the Island division championship. Green Bay led by six at the end of the first quarter and while outscored in the second quarter maintain a small lead at halftime. Rutgers chipped away at the lead and was within one point at the end of the third quarter. The fourth quarter belong to the Scarlet Knights as they outscored Green Bay 20 to 8 to capture the Island division championship 54–43. Rutgers senior Kayleah Cooper was named the tournament MVP (Island division).[6][7]

In the consolation round, Tulane took on Virginia. Tulane had a nine-point lead at the end of the first quarter but Virginia came back and cut the lead to one at halftime. Virginia outscored Tulane in the third quarter and held a three-point lead at the end of the third quarter, but Tulane came back in the fourth quarter outscoring Virginia 25 – 17 to take the wind 67–62.[8]

Reef division

In the consolation round South Dakota State took on Old Dominion. The score was tied at 11 points apiece at the end of the first quarter but then the Jackrabbits took off. They outscore the Monarchs in each of the final three quarters and ended with the win 71–39.[8]

In the championship game Maryland played Pittsburgh. Maryland started out strong with a 19 to 11 lead at the end of the first quarter. They then scored 11 consecutive points to push the lead to 31–11. However Pitt did not fold and responded with an 11–2 run. In the third quarter Maryland reasserted its dominance and outscored Pittsburgh 22–11. The fourth quarter was roughly even, but the Terrapins were well ahead so ended the game 70–49 to win the Reef division championship. Briona Jones of Maryland are in the MVP award for the tournament (reef division).[9]

References

1. "NCAAW Basketball Scoreboard". ESPN. November 26, 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
2. "Young's Shot Seals Win". SDSU Sports Info. 2015-11-27. Retrieved 29 Nov 2015.
3. "No. 6 Maryland women beat Old Dominion 95-49". ESPN. November 26, 2015. Retrieved 29 Nov 2015.
4. "NCAAW Basketball Scoreboard". ESPN. November 27, 2015. Retrieved 29 Nov 2015.
5. "Jones helps No. 6 Maryland hold off South Dakota St 62-55". ESPN. November 27, 2015. Retrieved 29 Nov 2015.
6. Wagner, Stephen (November 28, 2015). "Green Bay Falls In Island Division Finale to Rutgers, 54-43". Green Bay Athletics. Retrieved 29 Nov 2015.
7. "Rutgers takes Island Division championship over Green Bay". Paradise Jam. November 28, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 29 Nov 2015.
8. "Scores for November 28, 2015". ESPN. November 28, 2015. Retrieved 29 Nov 2015.
9. "Jones helps No. 6 Maryland rout Pittsburgh 70-49". ESPN. November 28, 2015. Retrieved 29 Nov 2015.