Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I wanna take ya...
Bermuda, BAHAMA, come on pretty mama...

PHILADELPHIA - Headed south the holiday! The Thanksgiving holiday, that is... the University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team is set to head to the tropics for the 15th-annual Junkanoo Jam, with some powerful competition awaiting them on the island of Bimini. The Quakers will tip things off with a matchup against ACC foe Georgia Tech on Thursday, before facing a bear of either the Baylor or Missouri State variety in the next round.

In the Series vs. Georgia Tech: Third Meeting
The Quakers and Yellow Jackets meet for the third time in program history and the first in over 34 years at the Junkanoo Jam. Georgia Tech won both contests in back-to-back years in 1982 and 1983, both on a neutral court.

In the Series vs. Baylor: Second Meeting
Penn and the Lady Bears have faced once before, a 72-60 victory in Waco, Texas for Baylor in December of 1993.

In the Series vs. Missouri State: First Meeting
The Quakers have never before battled the Bears on the hardcourt.

Catching the Game
All the action of the Junkanoo Jam can be seen with a paid subscription to FloHoops. In-game Twitter updates can be found @PennWBB. A complete recap, box score and highlights can be found on PennAthletics.com shortly after the conclusion of each game, with updated brackets and schedules on JunkanooJam.com.

Last Time Out: W, 55-42 vs. Lafayette (Nov. 18, 2017)
   -  A dominant fourth quarter pushed the Quakers ahead of Lafayette in their home opener, giving Penn its first victory of the year. The Red and Blue held the Leopards to just three points in the final period, while Michelle Nwokedi recorded her second-straight 16 point/10 rebound performance.

Up Next
The Quakers return to Philadelphia for their first Big 5 matchup of the season, making the short trip to face La Salle on Wednesday, the 29th, rounding out the November slate of competition.

In-Season Tournaments
This is Penn's fourth appearance in an in-season tournament since Mike McLaughlin took over in 2009-10 and first since 2012-13. To end the calendar year in 2012, the Quakers defeated both Alabama State and Air Force at the Iowa State Cyclone Challenge. The previous year, Penn split contests against UNC-Greensboro and San Diego State at the San Diego Surf 'N Slam Classic, while in McLaughlin's first year the Quakers traveled to Evanston, Ill. for the Mildred and Roger L. White Doubletree Invitational.

Against the ACC
Coach Mike McLaughlin is just 1-6 all-time against ACC opponents, with the lone victory coming on New Years Day of 2014, a one point win at Miami (Fla.). In McLaughlin's tenure, Penn has dropped two games each to Duke (2015, 2016), Notre Dame (2011, 2013) and Virginia (2011, 2012).

Against the Big 12 Conference
McLaughlin is 0-2 against the Big 12 Conference in his time at Penn. In his first season with the Quakers, the Red and Blue dropped a game to Iowa State, and Penn faced fifth-seeded Texas in the 2014 NCAA Tournament First Round, holding a halftime lead against the Longhorns before fading late.

Against the Missouri Valley Conference
The Quakers haven't faced a team from the MVC in McLaughlin's tenure with Penn but are 1-1 all-time against the league.

Watch Out for Nwokedi
As the defending Ivy League Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the Ivy League Tournament, it's no secret that Michelle Nwokedi enters this season on the radar not just among the Ancient Eight, but nationally as well. Earlier this month, Nwokedi was placed on the inaugural Katrina McClain Award watch list to recognize the top power forward in women's NCAA Division I basketball. Nwokedi is one of just 20 players around the country selected for this list by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

Nwokedi's offensive prowess has certainly been key for Penn's success over the years, as the native Texan has led the squad in scoring 36 times in her three-plus seasons, but not to be overlooked is her ability on the defensive end. Nwokedi currently ranks second all-time in program history with 242 career blocks, behind recently graduated Sydney Stipanovich, while sitting third in the same category in the Ivy League. Last season, Nwokedi swatted 87 shots, ranking second-most for a single season in Penn laurels. Currently, Nwokedi sits as just one of 18 players to notch a double-double in every game they've played this season.

Matching Michelle
In last season's 47-44 win against Richmond, Michelle Nwokedi recorded a career-high 20 rebounds—the most by a Penn player in 19 years. Michelle Maldanado tallied 21 boards for the Quakers against Cornell in 1997: the school record for most rebounds sits at 24 with three players sharing the honor.

Power Six History
Penn has traditionally played a challenging non-conference schedule since Mike McLaughlin took the helm in 2009-10, and that trend continues this season. In fact, the Quakers have played four non-conference top-15 teams in the last six seasons (#3 Notre Dame in 2011-12, #5 Notre Dame in 2013-14, #4 Tennessee 2014-15, and #14 Duke in 2015-16). Among the non-league foes, Penn has scheduled its share of teams from the power six conferences. En route to the Ivy title in 2013-14, the Quakers earned their first-ever win over an ACC opponent with a dramatic 67-66 win at Miami (Fla). Other power conference opponents in McLaughlin's tenure include Northwestern, Iowa State, Virginia, and Duke as well as the annual Big 5 matchups with Villanova and Temple.   

This season, Penn is set to battle two ACC foes in the non-conference, including another highly touted matchup with top-five Notre Dame at The Palestra and the first game since 1983 against Georgia Tech, scheduled to take place in The Bahamas as part of the Junkanoo Jam. As part of the in-season tournament, the Quakers might also get a chance to play perennial power Baylor folowing their contest with the Yellow Jackets.

Winning Seasons
The last five seasons have produced five of the six winningest seasons in school history. Before Coach McLaughlin, Penn had won 18 or more games only twice in its history, but has now done so in five straight seasons.