BRACKETS ANNOUNCED FOR 2003 WOMEN’S PARADISE JAM
BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

June 19, 2003 – Edmonds, Wash. – Eight Division I women’s basketball teams will take their game to the U.S. Virgin Islands Nov. 27-29 to compete in the fourth annual Paradise Jam Tournament hosted by the University of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas. Once again the Paradise Jam will host a strong field of competitors, with four of the eight teams coming off of 2003 NCAA tournament berths.

The Paradise Jam consists of two separate tournaments, one a certified three-game event called the "St. John" division and the other a two game non-certified event called the "St. Thomas" division. A certified tournament counts as only one game against a team’s maximum of 27 games, despite playing up to three games at the tournament. Teams may only play in two certified tournaments in any four-year period.

In the certified round-robin "St. John" division tournament, Georgia Tech and Southwest Missouri State look to be the teams to beat. Both are coming off first-round NCAA tournament berths and both have minimal loss of players to graduation. Southwest Missouri State is making their second sojourn to St. Thomas, albeit this time without Paradise Jam MVP Jackie Stiles, who led them to the Paradise Jam championship game in 2000 as well as a berth in the NCAA Final Four. In 2002-03, the SMS Bears (18-13) won their Missouri Valley Conference tournament to gain an NCAA berth, despite finishing fourth in the regular season standings. The team lost only one player to graduation and is led by Kari Koch, a 5-8 sophomore guard who averaged 14.7 points per game (ppg), 3.1 steals and 3.7 assists per game as a freshman. She is joined by Jenni Lingor, a 5-10 junior guard who averaged 13.8 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game (rpg).

Georgia Tech (20-11) finished fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference, earning a berth to the NCAA tournament and losing to Virginia Tech in the 1st round (ironically Virginia Tech is also at the Paradise Jam, playing in the St. Thomas division). New head coach MaChelle Joseph lost 2 players to graduation, including Sonja Mallory to the WNBA, but will counter with a trio of talented seniors in 2003. Fallon Stokes, a 5-10 forward, earned 2nd team ACC honors last year and averaged 15.7 ppg and 6.5 rpg. She is joined by fellow seniors Megan Isom, a 5-10 guard (9.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and Alex Steward, a 5-5 guard excelling in steals to the tune of 5.5 per game.

James Madison (17-12) and West Virginia (15-13) round out the "St. John" division field. West Virginia finished 12th in the Big East Conference and return two outstanding players. Kate Bulgar, a 5-11 senior guard, averaged 15.8 ppg and 4.0 rpg last season. She is joined by assist specialist Yolanda Paige, a 5-6 junior guard who averaged a whopping 7.1 assists per game, as well as 10.1 ppg. James Madison (17-12) finished fourth in the Colonial Conference but will face a big rebuilding year, losing 6 players, 5 of whom were the team’s top scorers. Krystal Brooks, a 6-3 junior center, is the top returning player with 7.4 ppg and 4.3 rpg.

The two-game non-certified "St. Thomas" division boasts two teams who advanced to the NCAA second round last year, Virginia Tech and Mississippi State. Virginia Tech (22-10) finished fifth in the strong Big East Conference and return the core of the their starters. They are led by 6-4 senior center Ieva Kublina (15 ppg, 7.4 rpg and a Big East 1st Team selection) and 5-7 sophomore guard Carrie Mason (10.6 ppg and 3.3 apg as a freshman) as well as 6-2 junior forward Erin Gibson (9.7 ppg, 7 rpg). At 24-8, Mississippi State tied their best season record in school history and tied for third in the SEC. At one point during the season they were ranked as high as 10th in the AP poll. They lost 3 seniors, including 4-time Kodak All-American selection LaToya Thomas, but will counter with the multi-talented Tan White, a 5-8 junior guard who can do it all (18.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.9 apg, 3.3 spg).

The St. Thomas division field also includes Indiana and Iowa State, both of whom look to return to winning traditions following disappointing 2002-2003 seasons. Indiana (13-15) finished 8th in the Big Ten and lost six seniors to graduation. They will counter with a trio of talented players in 5-10 junior guard Jenny DeMuth (12 ppg, 4.8 rpg), 5-8 sophomore guard Cyndi Valentin (10.4 ppg), and 6-3 sophomore center Angela Hawkins (6.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg). Iowa State (12-16) finished 8th in the Big 12, losing 3 seniors including WNBA-bound Lindsey Wilson. Countering for the loss will be Anne O’Neil, a 5-11 junior guard (10 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and Lisa Kreiner, a 6-2 junior forward (9.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg).

Close and exciting contests once again dominated the tournament in 2002, carrying on the Paradise Jam tradition of excellent early-season competition. In the St. John division championship game, Duke held off Arkansas in an overtime win to earn the St. John division title. The Blue Devils continued their success following the tournament, earning a trip to the Final Four. In the St. Thomas division, South Carolina beat Boston College in an exciting three-point contest. Boston College made it all the way to the Sweet Sixteen, where they lost to eventual champions Connecticut. Incredibly, seven of the eight 2002 Paradise Jam participants earned trips to the 64-team NCAA tournament field, continuing the tradition of success established by previous Paradise Jam teams.

For more information about the tournament, or to download tournament brackets, visit www.ParadiseJam.com.