2014 Paradise Jam Bracket Revealed
5/19/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
May 19, 2014
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The 2014 Ezybonds Global Payments U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam bracket was released Monday as the Seton Hall men's basketball team was paired with Nevada to open the 15th annual tournament that runs from Nov. 21-24 at the University of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas, USVI. The Pirates' contest with the Wolfpack will be the first of three games at the four-day event for The Hall and is slated to be one of six matchups televised nationally by CBS Sports Network with the remainder of the games to be streamed live on ParadiseJam.com.
It will be The Hall's second appearance in the Paradise Jam after participating in the event in 2010, advancing to the semifinals in head coach Kevin Willard's first year at the helm. The Pirates will meet Nevada for the first time in program history, and then will take on either Clemson or Gardner Webb in its second game. Seton Hall and Clemson have history in the event, battling in an overtime thriller in the 2010 Paradise Jam. The Tigers are coming off a 23-win campaign and advanced to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) semifinals.
The opposite side of the bracket features four teams that all advanced to the 2014 postseason in LSU, Old Dominion, Illinois State and Weber State. LSU won 20-games and played in the NIT, while Old Dominion and Illinois State appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). Weber State was the Big Sky Tournament champion earning the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Seton Hall is coming off a 17-win campaign in 2013-14 that culminated in the program's first appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament semifinals since 2001 as the Pirates scored a historic win over #3 Villanova in the quarterfinal round behind a game-winning shot from Sterling Gibbs (Scotch Plains, N.J.) as time expired. Six members of the men's basketball program received their degrees as a part of the University's baccalaureate commencement ceremonies on Monday but Gibbs ranks among the top returning players in the conference in both scoring and assists after averaging 13.2 points and 4.2 assists per game in his first season in blue & white. Gibbs will help lead a group that includes BIG EAST All-Rookie Team selection Jaren Sina (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) and will welcome a consensus top-15 recruiting class in the nation that features McDonald's All-American and New York Mr. Basketball award winner Isaiah Whitehead.
The Pirate Blue Athletic Fund is offering a fan travel package for the 2014 U.S. Virgin Island Paradise Jam. Pirate fans can purchase a six night package that includes the hotel room and taxes, resort fees, a tournament pass to all games, access to VIP Pirate Blue receptions and bus transfers. Round trip airfare on the team's charter flight can be included for an additional cost. Click here for the complete travel package pricing or here for the land only travel package
