BIMINI, Bahamas – The schedule and field for the women’s 2018 Junkanoo Jam at Resorts World Bimini were announced Tuesday, and the Tennessee Lady Vols are headed back to the islands.
Eight NCAA Division I women’s college basketball teams will compete in the 16th annual Junkanoo Jam, held Nov. 22-24, 2018, at Gateway Christian Academy in Bimini.
The tournament, hosted annually over Thanksgiving, will feature Clemson, Eastern Kentucky, Florida State, Iowa, Oklahoma, Tennessee, UAB and West Virginia. The field will be split into two divisions of four teams, the Junkanoo and Bimini Divisions, and each division will crown a champion.
Florida State, Iowa, Oklahoma and Tennessee all return to the Bahamas as past Junkanoo Jam champions, with Oklahoma winning most recently in 2015 and Tennessee seizing the Lucaya Division trophy in Freeport, Bahamas, in 2013. UT beat Virginia, 76-67, and trounced SMU, 87-47, to bring home the hardware on Nov. 28 and 29, 2013, with Meighan Simmons grabbing MVP honors.
Tennessee will be making its third in-season trip outside the U.S. during the Holly Warlick era and fourth international excursion during the past seven years. As mentioned, UT was 2-0 at the 2013 Junkanoo Jam, went 3-0 during a tour of Italy during the summer of 2015 and posted a 3-0 mark at the 2017 Cancun Challenge last fall for an 8-0 mark on foreign soil under Warlick.
The Lady Vols will return three starters and seven total letterwinners from a squad that finished 25-8 overall, 11-5 in the SEC and ended up ranked No. 12 in the AP Poll and No. 13 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll.
Returning starters include 6-2 sophomore forward Rennia Davis (12.0 ppg., 7.6 rpg., SEC All-Freshman), 6-0 sophomore point guard Evina Westbrook (8.4 ppg., 4.3 apg., SEC All-Freshman) and 5-11 senior wing Meme Jackson(8.2 ppg., 4.2 rpg.), as well top reserves 5-7 sophomore guard Anastasia Hayes (9.3 ppg., 3.4 apg., SEC 6th Woman of the Year) and 6-3 senior forward Cheridene Green (4.1 ppg., 3.7 rpg.). UT also welcomes the nation’s No. 4-ranked freshman class and a 6-3 graduate transfer forward from Washington State (Lou Brown), who has 71 career starts and averaged 6.4 ppg. and 6.0 rpg. in 2017-18.
“We’re extremely excited to announce the women’s field for this year,” tournament director Becky Adams said. “These teams are some of the best programs in women’s college basketball, and we can’t wait to get them on island to enjoy everything Bimini offers.”
The Junkanoo Division features Clemson, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and UAB. The Clemson Tigers and Tennessee Lady Vols will tip off the 2018 event Thursday, Nov. 22, at 3 p.m., followed by UAB and Oklahoma at 5:15 p.m. Losing teams will return to Gateway Christian Academy the following day to compete for third place with tipoff scheduled for 7:45 p.m. Winning teams will have a one-day respite before facing off in the division championship at 2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24.
The Bimini Division will tip off Friday, Nov. 23 and feature Eastern Kentucky, Florida State, Iowa, and West Virginia. Eastern Kentucky and Florida State will compete in the opening game at 3 p.m., followed by West Virginia and Iowa at 5:15 p.m. Competition concludes Saturday, Nov. 24 with the third-place game at 4:15 p.m. and the championship game at 6:45 p.m.
All games will stream live at www.FloHoops.com. To access the live event coverage and replays of the Junkanoo Jam, users must sign up to become FloPRO subscribers on www.FloHoops.com.
Teams and fans will stay at the Hilton at Resorts World Bimini, the official partner of the Junkanoo Jam. Built in 2016, the resort features eight restaurants and bars, three pools, a casino with a sports book, snorkeling, big game fishing, and is located less than a 10-minute walk from the game site at Gateway Christian Academy.
Located just 50 miles off Florida’s coast, Bimini is the closest Bahamian island to the United States, boasting miles of pristine beaches. Known as Ernest Hemingway’s favorite escape, Bimini showcases the history and culture of the Caribbean. Visitors from around the world travel to Bimini to enjoy its warm weather, expansive beaches and crystal-clear waters.
For more information about the 2018 Junkanoo Jam and to purchase fan packages, visit www.junkanoojam.com.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Junkanoo Division
(Nov. 22)
Clemson vs. Tennessee at 3 p.m.
UAB vs. Oklahoma at 5:15 p.m.
Nov. 23, 2018
Loser #1 vs. Loser #2 at 7:45 p.m.
Nov. 24, 2018
Winner #1 vs. Winner #2 at 2 p.m.
Bimini Division
Nov. 23, 2018
Eastern Kentucky vs. Florida State at 3 p.m.
West Virginia vs. Iowa at 5:15 p.m.
Nov. 24, 2018
Loser #1 vs. Loser #2 at 4:15 p.m.
Winner #1 vs. Winner #2 at 6:45 p.m.
All game times are Eastern and subject to change
UT Athletics
