Basketball fans are readying themselves to enjoy collegiate action at the Cayman Islands Classic, starting 19 Nov. at the John Gray High School gymnasium.
The tournament, now in its fifth year, is the biggest basketball event Cayman has ever hosted, with top NCAA teams showcasing future NBA talent in games that will feature hundreds of fans every day.
Adding to the excitement, this year the Cayman Classic will welcome women’s basketball for the first time since the tournament was launched in 2017 (COVID forced the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 events).
Men’s games
The men will open the tournament, with teams from Utah State, Marshall, Akron, Florida International, Drake, Oakland, Stephen F. Austin and Loyola Marymount competing from 19-21 Nov.
Drake will face Oakland in the opening game at 11am, followed by Stephen F. Austin meeting LMU at 1:30pm. In the first game of the evening session, at 5pm, Utah State will play Marshall. Akron and Florida International will take the court in the final matchup of the day, starting at 7:30pm.
Based on the results of the first day’s games, the men’s teams will be divided into consolation and winner’s brackets, with the semi-finals taking place on 20 Nov., and the third-place playoff and the finals to follow on 21 Nov.
Women’s games
The inaugural women’s teams – Virginia Tech; University of Connecticut; University of California, Los Angeles; Niagara; Tulane; Virginia; Louisiana State University; and Kansas – will close the tournament, playing from 24-25 Nov.
Virginia will face Tulane in the opening game at 11am, followed by LSU taking on Niagara at 1:30pm. The evening session will feature Virginia Tech playing Kansas at 4:30pm, with UConn meeting UCLA in the final game at 7pm.
Saturday’s action starts with Virginia Tech playing Tulane at 11am, followed by UCLA against Niagara at 1:30pm. Then LSU will face Virginia at 4:30pm, with UConn playing Kansas in the last game of the women’s tournament at 7pm.
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