PHILADELPHIA – Game matchups and start times for the 2018 U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam were released Thursday, including matchups and official tipoff times for all 12 games of the men's tournament at the 19th annual Paradise Jam, to be held Nov. 16-19, 2018 at the University of the Virgin Islands' Sports and Fitness Center in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
 
The University of Pennsylvania, which is making its Paradise Jam debut, will open play in the eight-team tournament with the University of Northern Iowa on Friday, Nov. 16 at 6:30 p.m. AST (5:30 EST). The Panthers have been an NCAA Tournament darling several times in recent years. Most recently, in 2016, they beat Texas on a half-court buzzer beater and then took Texas A&M to double overtime in the second round before losing. UNI also won an NCAA game as a fifth seed in 2015, knocking off Wyoming in the first round before losing to Louisville in the second round. Last year, Northern Iowa went 16-16 overall and finished 7-11 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
 
A first-round loss to Northern Iowa will move the Quakers into the loser's bracket, in which case they would play their second game on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. AST (5 p.m. EST). A win over UNI, however, moves the Quakers into the winner's bracket in which case their second game would take place on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 8:30 p.m. (7:30 EST).
 
What is guaranteed is Penn's second-round opponent: either Eastern Kentucky or Kansas State. EKU went 11-20 overall and 5-13 in the Ohio Valley Conference last year, while the Wildcats went 25-12 and finished fourth in the Big 12 Conference with a 10-8 mark. K-State also advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, knocking off Creighton, UMBC and Kentucky before falling in a regional final to Loyola of Chicago.
 
The other half of the bracket features Oregon State, Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and Missouri. Penn will face one of those teams on the final day.
 
Penn's final game will take place on Monday, Nov. 19. See below for more details.
 
OVERALL
The men's Paradise Jam will tip off Friday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. AST (1 p.m. EST) as Oregon State faces Old Dominion. Kennesaw State and Missouri will face off at 4 p.m. Penn and UNI are next at 6:30 p.m., and then the opening round concludes with Eastern Kentucky and Kansas State tipping off at 8:30 p.m.
 
Losing teams will compete in their second game the following day, Saturday, Nov. 17 with tipoffs scheduled at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Winning teams will have a one-day respite, before facing off in the semifinals, Sunday, Nov. 18. The first semifinal will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the second semifinal at 8:30 p.m.
 
All teams will return to the UVI Sports and Fitness Center on Monday, Nov. 19 for the championship round. The seventh-place game will open the final day of competition at 2 p.m. AST (1 p.m. EST), followed by the fourth-place game at 4 p.m., third-place game at 6:30 p.m., and championship game to crown the 2018 men's Paradise Jam champion at 8:30 p.m.
 
TV
All games for the upcoming 2018 U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam are scheduled to stream online at FloHoops.com.
 
FAN TRAVEL PACKAGES
Tournament directors are in the process of evaluating the feasibility of offering official fan travel packages for the 2018 Paradise Jam. More information will be made available in the future. For more information about the 2018 U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam and a printable bracket, please visit www.paradisejam.com.