2008 Paradise Jam

College basketball tournament August 2023 March 2026 Paradise Jam Men's, Women's 2008 2009 8 Sports and Fitness Center Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Connecticut (men's)Wisconsin (women's Island) California (women's Reef) Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut (men's) Alyssa Karel, Wisconsin (women's Island) Ashley Walker, California (women's Reef) The 2008 Paradise Jam was an early-season men's and women's college basketball tournament. The tournament, which began in 2000, was part of the 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season and 2008–09 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The tournament was played at the Sports and Fitness Center in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Connecticut won the men's tournament, in the women's tournament Wisconsin won Island Division, and California won the women's Reef Division. Men's tournament thumb|250px|Connecticut team photo 2008, Paradise Jam winners In the first round, Wisconsin took on unranked Iona, and won, but by only two points 60–58 in overtime. Miami faced unranked Southern Miss and won by ten, 70–50. Connecticut played LaSalle and Connecticut won 89–81; with A.J. Price returning to play after an ankle injury, but still suffering from an abscessed tooth. In the second round, Connecticut faced Miami, but won by 13 points, 76–63. Wisconsin faced San Diego, the winner of the first round game against Valparaiso, and won 64–49. In the championship game UConn faced Wisconsin, but opened up a ten-point lead by halftime, and extended it to a 19-point victory at the end of the game, with a final score of 76–57. Jerome Dyson was the leading scorer for Connecticut, while Hasheem Thabeet earned the Tournament MVP honors. Bracket yes First round November 21 Southern Miss 60 16 Miami 79 La Salle 81 2 Connecticut 89 San Diego 73 Valparaiso 66 Iona 58 22 Wisconsin 60* Semifinals November 23 16 Miami 63 2 Connecticut 76 San Diego 49 22 Wisconsin 64 Consolation 2nd round November 23 Southern Miss 76 La Salle 72 Valparaiso 55 Iona 75 Championship November 24 2 Connecticut 76 22 Wisconsin 57 3rd place game 16 Miami (FL) 80 San Diego 45 5th place game November 24 Southern Miss 64 Iona 63 7th place game La Salle 75 Valparaiso 70 Women's tournament The women's tournament was organized as two divisions of four teams, each playing each other in a round-robin format. Island Division In the opening round, Wisconsin beat Villanova by two points 47–45, while 7th ranked Baylor beat UCF 79–67. In the second round, Wisconsin improved to 2–0 with a 65–61 victory over UCF, as well as Baylor, who beat Villanova 62–57. Baylor had a 21–2 run early in the game to take a large lead, and the Bears still held a 16-point lead at halftime. The Wildcats cut the lead to three with just over two minutes left in the game, but Baylor hit five of six free throws to hold on to the victory, 52–57. On the final day, Villanova beat UCF to finish in third place. In the championship game, the two undefeated teams faced each other. Unranked Wisconsin was down by six points at halftime, and Baylor still led by five points with under three minutes to go, when Wisconsin scored six straight points to take the lead, ending with a two-point jump shot with seven seconds left in the game by Alyssa Karel. Baylor had one last shot; Melissa Jones was fouled at the buzzer, but missed both free throws to secure the Paradise Jam Championship (Island) for Wisconsin. Wisconsin's Alyssa Karel won the tournament MVP award. 18em start y n November 27 Wisconsin 47 Villanova 45 18em break y n November 27 7 Baylor 79 UCF 67 end 18em start y n November 28 UCF 61 Wisconsin 65 18em break y n November 28 Villanova 52 7 Baylor 57 end 18em start y n November 29 Villanova 68 UCF 50 18em break y n November 29 Wisconsin 59 7 Baylor 57 end Reef Division thumb|350px|California team photo 2008, Paradise Jam winners In the first round Iowa played Texas Tech. The halftime margin was two points in favor of Iowa, and they extended the lead to win the game 56–48. In the other game, 3rd-ranked California took on South Florida and won easily, 85–55. In the second round, South Florida took Iowa to overtime, then won 82–79 in overtime. California played Texas Tech and won 68–54. On the final day, South Florida beat Texas Tech to earn second place in the division with a 2–1 record.USF Hands Texas Tech 71-61 Loss https://gousfbulls.com/news/2008/11/29/3622187.aspx 2022-04-12 USF Athletics en California easily beat Iowa 76–43 to go undefeated and win the 2008 Paradise Jam Championship (Reef). California's Ashley Walker won the Tournament MVP. 18em start y n November 27 Iowa 85 Texas Tech 55 18em break y n November 27 3 California 85 South Florida 55 end 18em start y n November 28 South Florida 82* Iowa 79 18em break y n November 28 Texas Tech 54 3 California 68 end 18em start y n November 29 South Florida 71 Texas Tech 61 18em break y n November 29 3 California 76 Iowa 43 end References 2 Scores for November 21, 2008 https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/scoreboard?date=20081121 ESPN 26 Dec 2012 No. 2 UConn needs inside muscle to dump feisty La Salle http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=283260041 https://archive.today/20130124233349/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=283260041 dead January 24, 2013 ESPN 26 Dec 2012 Gardner James UConn Stomps Wisconsin 76–57 to Win Paradise Jam Nov 25, 2008 http://stcroixsource.com/content/news/local-news/2008/11/25/uconn-stomps-wisconsin-76-57-win-paradise-jam St. Croix Source V.I. Source Publications, Inc. 27 Dec 2012 No. 2 UConn hands No. 19 Wisconsin its first loss in Paradise Jam http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=283290275 https://web.archive.org/web/20090218040329/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=283290275 dead February 18, 2009 ESPN 26 Dec 2012 Tournament History & Statistics http://www.paradisejam.com/womens-tournament-history/ Basketball Travelers, Inc. 23 Dec 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130125093402/http://www.paradisejam.com/womens-tournament-history/ 2013-01-25 Scores for November 27, 2008 https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/scoreboard?date=20081127&confId=50 ESPN 26 Dec 2012 Scores for November 28, 2008 https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/scoreboard?date=20081128&confId=50 ESPN 26 Dec 2012 No. 7 Baylor defeats Villanova at Paradise Jam http://espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=283330222 https://archive.today/20130124070215/http://espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=283330222 dead January 24, 2013 ESPN 26 Dec 2012 Karel pulls Wisconsin to victory over No. 7 Baylor in final minutes http://espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=283340239 https://archive.today/20130124083558/http://espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=283340239 dead January 24, 2013 ESPN 26 Dec 2012 WOMEN’S "REEF" division 2008 http://www.paradisejam.com/images/women/brackets/2008ReefDivision.pdf Basketball travelers, Inc. 26 Dec 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120215124559/http://www.paradisejam.com/images/women/brackets/2008ReefDivision.pdf 2012-02-15 Paradise Jam Tournament Category:Paradise Jam Paradise Jam