Teams 8 men's, 8 women's | ||
 | ||
Finals site Sports and Fitness Center
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands | ||
The 2011 Paradise Jam Tournament was a men and women's preseason college basketball tournament that took place in Saint Thomas at the Sports and Fitness Center. Marquette won the men's division while Alabama won the women's Island Division and Michigan won the women's Reef Division.
Contents
Men's Tournament
Marquette had an easy path to the final game, then were tested. In the opening round, Marquette took on Winthrop, and won easily 95–73, while Norfolk State beat Drexel by five points, 61–56. In the semifinal round, Marquette again won easily, beating Ole Miss 96–66, while Norfolk State beat TCU 66–53 to set up the final. Marquette had played Norfolk State just a week earlier in Milwaukee, in a game that was never in doubt. Marquette opened up a 6–0 lead, expanded the lead to eleven by halftime, then scored 59 points in the second half to win the game 99–68.
When the two teams met in the Paradise Jam final, the game started out similarly to the early game, with Marquette never trailing, and reaching a nine-point lead at halftime. However, instead of scoring 59 points in the second half, they would score only 59 points in the game. The Golden Eagles, ranked 16th in the AP poll, held a 14-point lead at one time, but Norfolk State had two 7–0 runs and tied up the game at 57 points apiece with just over two minutes left. Marquette scored to take a lead; Norfolk State had a chance to tie in the closing seconds but failed to hit the basket, and Marquette won the 2011 Paradise Jam Championship 59–57.
Women's Tournament
The woman's tournament is organized as two divisions of four teams, each playing each other in a round-robin format.
Participating Teams
Island Division
Reef Division
Island Division
Both Alabama and Seton Hall ended with records of 2–1. Based upon the tie breaker, Alabama beat Seton Hall in their match up, so was named the Paradise Jam Championship (Island Division) Alabama's Ericka Russell was named tournament MVP.
Reef Division
Michigan won all three of their games to capture the Paradise Jam Championship (Reef Division). Michigan's Courtney Boylan was named tournament MVP.