May 16, 2007
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team will open against Charlotte on Friday, Nov. 16, in the first round of the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam Tournament at the University of the Virgin Islands, tournament organizers have announced.
Illinois-Chicago and Winthrop are also on the Yellow Jackets’ side of the bracket for the eighth annual event, meaning Tech will play one of those teams in the second round. Baylor, Monmouth, Notre Dame and Wichita State are on the other side of the bracket, one of whom will be the Jackets’ final round opponent on Monday, Nov. 19.
Tech’s game with Charlotte is set for 3 p.m. Eastern time on Nov. 16. A win would give the Jackets a day off Saturday and send them to an 8 p.m. contest on Sunday, Nov. 18, against the winner of the UIC-Winthrop game. A loss would pit Tech against the UIC-Winthrop loser at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17. All final round games take place Monday, Nov. 19.
Tech and Charlotte have met four times previously, last in 1986, and the Yellow Jackets have won all four games. The Jackets won their only prior meeting with Winthrop in 1997, and have split two games against UIC in recent years.
These games strengthen an already-loaded non-conference schedule for Tech which includes road games against Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana and Vanderbilt, as well as a home game against Kansas. Dates for all those contests and the entire 2007-08 schedule will be announced in mid-August.
The Yellow Jackets, 20-12 last year, are one of three teams in the Paradise Jam that participated in the 2007 NCAA Tournament along with Notre Dame (24-8), and Winthrop (29-5). Wichita State (17-14), Baylor (15-16), Charlotte (14-16), Monmouth (12-18) and Illinois-Chicago (14-18) round out the eight-team field.
Competition begins on Nov. 16 with consecutive-day action culminating in the championship round on Nov. 19. The 2007 Paradise Jam will tip off with Georgia Tech playing Charlotte at 3 p.m. Eastern time on the Nov. 16. The day’s other matchups include Illinois Chicago vs. Winthrop at 5:30 p.m., Baylor vs. Wichita State at 8 p.m. and Monmouth battling Notre Dame at 10:30 p.m. The U.S. Virgin Islands are on Atlantic Standard Time, one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time.
Two games will be played daily on Nov. 17 (losing teams from the 16th) and Nov. 18 (winning teams from the 16th) at 8 and 10:30 p.m. The final day of competition on Nov. 19 will be structured similarly to the first day. The game times are set for 3, 5:30, 8 and 8 p.m., with the championship game at 10:30 p.m. All games will be played at the state-of-the-art University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.
In 2006, Alabama defeated Xavier 63-56 to take home the Paradise Jam crown. Villanova beat Iowa to take third place (89-60), Toledo captured fourth place with a 60-59 win over Virginia Commonwealth and College of Charleston finished ahead of Middle Tennessee State with a 64-56 win.
