SI Preview of the Paradise Jam
Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 11:05 am3. Paradise Jam
University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas
Nov. 20: DePaul vs. Northern Iowa (1 p.m.); Tennessee vs. East Carolina (3:30 p.m.); Boston College vs. Saint Joseph's (6 p.m.); Purdue vs. South Dakota State (8:30 p.m.); Nov. 22: Semifinals (6 p.m./8:30 p.m.); Nov. 23: Finals (8:30 p.m.)
Why You Should Care:
Tennessee-Purdue might be the best title-game matchup of any tournament.
Both teams have their entire starting lineups back, with versatile, All-America level forwards as their centerpieces in Tyler Smith (for the Vols) and Robbie Hummel (for the Boilers). Therefore they shouldn't be playing ugly games in late November. It's nice to watch Purdue get sped up to a non-Big Ten pace, which the Vols will most likely try to do; if this game at all resembles the Boilers' battle with an up-tempo Washington team in the second round of last year's NCAA tournament, it'll be must-see TV.
(The Tennessee-Northern Iowa semifinal shouldn't be bad either, as the Panthers are the class of the Missouri Valley, and have the front-line size -- especially with 7-1 center Jordan Eglseder -- to give the Vols trouble.)
There's breakout potential in the Virgin Islands.
After taking an offensive backseat to Tyrese Rice for the past two seasons, Boston College junior wing Rakim Sanders will be coming off a two-game suspension to debut as a go-to guy. He's conditioned to handle it, too; in '08-09 Sanders actually took a higher percentage of shots than Rice (25.9 to 24.4), but Sanders scored less because he played fewer minutes and wasn't very effective from the free-throw line (shooting 68.4 percent to Rice's 85.6).
Be on the lookout for Tennessee's Scotty Hopson, too: After a mediocre freshman season that saw his draft stock slip from one-and-done lottery status to fringe first-rounder, there are indications that the sophomore two-guard is ready to be a legitimate scorer at the college level. He led the Vols in scoring with 20 points in each of their two exhibitions, and then had a team-high 17 points in their opener against Austin Peay.
The Pick: Tennessee.
Purdue has greater Final Four potential in the long run, but speedy point guard Lewis Jackson suffered a foot/ankle injury in practice on Thursday, and early indications are that he'll miss the entire Paradise Jam. Without him the Boilers will be slightly less equipped to run, and the Vols will win a close one.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/w ... z0X8Kb2R9r
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University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas
Nov. 20: DePaul vs. Northern Iowa (1 p.m.); Tennessee vs. East Carolina (3:30 p.m.); Boston College vs. Saint Joseph's (6 p.m.); Purdue vs. South Dakota State (8:30 p.m.); Nov. 22: Semifinals (6 p.m./8:30 p.m.); Nov. 23: Finals (8:30 p.m.)
Why You Should Care:
Tennessee-Purdue might be the best title-game matchup of any tournament.
Both teams have their entire starting lineups back, with versatile, All-America level forwards as their centerpieces in Tyler Smith (for the Vols) and Robbie Hummel (for the Boilers). Therefore they shouldn't be playing ugly games in late November. It's nice to watch Purdue get sped up to a non-Big Ten pace, which the Vols will most likely try to do; if this game at all resembles the Boilers' battle with an up-tempo Washington team in the second round of last year's NCAA tournament, it'll be must-see TV.
(The Tennessee-Northern Iowa semifinal shouldn't be bad either, as the Panthers are the class of the Missouri Valley, and have the front-line size -- especially with 7-1 center Jordan Eglseder -- to give the Vols trouble.)
There's breakout potential in the Virgin Islands.
After taking an offensive backseat to Tyrese Rice for the past two seasons, Boston College junior wing Rakim Sanders will be coming off a two-game suspension to debut as a go-to guy. He's conditioned to handle it, too; in '08-09 Sanders actually took a higher percentage of shots than Rice (25.9 to 24.4), but Sanders scored less because he played fewer minutes and wasn't very effective from the free-throw line (shooting 68.4 percent to Rice's 85.6).
Be on the lookout for Tennessee's Scotty Hopson, too: After a mediocre freshman season that saw his draft stock slip from one-and-done lottery status to fringe first-rounder, there are indications that the sophomore two-guard is ready to be a legitimate scorer at the college level. He led the Vols in scoring with 20 points in each of their two exhibitions, and then had a team-high 17 points in their opener against Austin Peay.
The Pick: Tennessee.
Purdue has greater Final Four potential in the long run, but speedy point guard Lewis Jackson suffered a foot/ankle injury in practice on Thursday, and early indications are that he'll miss the entire Paradise Jam. Without him the Boilers will be slightly less equipped to run, and the Vols will win a close one.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/w ... z0X8Kb2R9r
Get a free NFL Team Jacket and Tee with SI Subscription
