WISCONSIN HEADS IMPRESSIVE 2005 PARADISE JAM FIELD

Six Division I men’s basketball teams are gearing up for a trip to paradise at the sixth annual U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam Basketball Tournament at University of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas. The 2005 tournament field promises great competition in the islands as three of the six participating teams played in the 2005 NCAA tournament. Wisconsin, Old Dominion, Eastern Kentucky, Fordham, Norfolk State, and Georgia will compete November 18-21 at the state-of-the-art UVI Sports & Fitness Center in St. Thomas.

Wisconsin headlines this impressive field, coming off of a 25-9 season and the highest final ranking in school history (10th). The Badgers bring post-season momentum to the islands as the only team in the 2005 Paradise Jam field to progress to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, losing to eventual national champion North Carolina (88-82). Despite losing five seniors from last year’s record-setting squad, the Badgers return a strong nucleus of players including third-team all Big Ten selection Alando Tucker, a 6-5 junior forward. Tucker started 30 of the Badgers’ 34 games last year and was the team’s leading scorer at 15.2 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game. Kammon Taylor (8.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg), a 6-2 junior guard, will also be looked at to contribute to the Badgers’ early season efforts at the Paradise Jam. Additional contributions should come from Wisconsin’s highly regarded recruiting class, which has been ranked among the nation’s top-25.

Old Dominion and Eastern Kentucky join Wisconsin as the other 2005 NCAA tournament participants. Old Dominion finished the season with a first-round NCAA tournament loss to Michigan State (89-81). The Monarchs, finishing 28-6, set a school record in 2005 for the most wins in school history and won the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title. Four of the five Monarch starters will return, including the CAA MVP and Player of the Year, Alex Loughton, a 6-9 senior center who averaged 14.1 ppg. Eastern Kentucky’s circumstances are very similar to ODU’s in that they also return four starters from last season, and were ousted in the first round of NCAA action by cross-state rival, Kentucky. The Colonels will head to St. Thomas under new head coach, Jeff Neubauer. Neubauer and staff have a lot to be excited about as they take the reins of a team that set a school-record 22 wins in 2004-05 and earned the school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 26 years. Two of the four returning starters, leading scorer Matt Witt, a 6-0 senior guard ( 14.4 ppg) and 6-2 senior guard Zach Ingles (11.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg), will be looked to early-on for much of the Colonel offense.

Fordham, Norfolk State, and Georgia complete the six-team field. Fordham finished the season 13-16 with a loss in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 tournament. The Rams completed regular season Atlantic 10 play at 8-8, which is the most conference wins since joining the Atlantic 10. Losing just one senior, Fordham will look to two outstanding sophomores for leadership. Atlantic 10 rookie of the year Bryant Dunston, a 6-8 guard, was the Rams leading scorer last year at 14.9 ppg and 8.6 rpg. Joining Dunston is fellow sophomore and all-rookie team selection Marcus Stout (13.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg), a 6-4 guard. Jermaine Anderson (12.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg), a 6-2 senior guard, will also contribute. Norfolk State finished the 2004-05 season with an 11-7 conference record (13-14 overall). The Spartans return three starters from last season, including All-MEAC rookie team selection Tony Murphy, a 6-4 sophomore guard (10.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg). Norfolk State head coach Dwight Freeman signed three community college transfers that he expects will contribute immediately. The Georgia Bulldogs, fielding a very young team last year, ended a tough 2004-05 season that saw only two conference wins and an 8-20 final record. The outlook for this season is much brighter, as the Bulldogs return four starters whose experience should contribute greatly to an improved record. Last season’s leading scorers Levi Stukes (15 ppg, 3.5 rpg) a 6-1 junior guard, and Sundiata Gaines (12 ppg, 4.9 rpg), a 6-1 sophomore guard, will drive the Bulldogs offense this season. For further assistance, the Bulldogs will also likely lean heavily on their strong recruiting class, ranked among the nation’s top 25. Georgia head coach Dennis Felton was honored recently with an invitation to serve as an assistant coach for the U-21 U.S. Men’s Team competing in the world championships in Argentina this summer.

The six-team Paradise Jam tournament field is split into two brackets of three teams each, the St. Thomas bracket and the St. John bracket. The tournament begins with three days of pool play within the divisions on Nov. 18-20, with each team playing two games. The order of finish within the divisions determines the placement for the final day of games on Monday, Nov. 21. In the 2005 St. Thomas bracket, Wisconsin, Eastern Kentucky and Norfolk State will be pitted against one another. The St. John bracket includes Old Dominion, Fordham, and Georgia.

Paradise Jam 2005 is expected to be the most competitive field in the five years of men’s competition in the Virgin Islands. In 2004 Paradise Jam tournament action, Arkansas dominated the six-team field, defeating Eastern Michigan 82-64 in the championship game. Winthrop captured third place over Austin Peay and Saint Louis beat Troy in the consolation game. The tournament is played at the University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center, the Caribbean’s finest basketball facility and just a stone’s throw from the turquoise blue waters of the Caribbean Sea.

Contact:
Jennifer Ashby
Paradise Jam Tournament Director
Basketball Travelers, Inc
425.776.2775
425.776.4094 FAX
Email: Jenn@BasketballTravelers.com

Read the 2004 Team Overview.
Read the 2003 Team Overview.