This is the 24th year that Basketball Travelers Inc. has hosted Paradise Jam. The women’s tournament has seen its fair share of highly competitive games and major upsets. Day one of the 2023 women’s tournament was very uneventful as the higher seeds all won in dominant fashion.
Island Division Tournament
GAME 1 – University of Colorado 77 – University of Cincinnati 60
The University of Colorado Buffaloes remained perfect on the season after their outstanding performance against the University of Cincinnati Bearcats in the opening game of the 2023 Women’s Paradise Jam Tournament. The Buffaloes took control of the game early and never looked back. Senior guard Tameiya Sadler steadied the offense scoring a team-high 15 points and distributing four assists. Teammate Kindyll Wetta lived up to her name by going 5-of-5 from the floor amounting to 14 points. Jilian Hayes was one of two Bearcat players in double figures with a game-high 17 and she also grabbed five rebounds.
GAME 2 – NC State University 84 – University of Kentucky 55
NC State University Wolfpack pounced on the Wildcats of Kentucky early, scoring 31 points while only allowing 16 at the end of the first quarter. The Wolfpack did not let up as they made 18-of-28 shots taken in the second and third quarters. Kentucky’s offense came alive in the final quarter, scoring 21 points in the fourth. Four NC State players scored in double-digits, led by Madison Haynes, who dropped a game-high 15 points. Ajae Petty was the top scorer for the Wildcats with nine points.
Reef Division Tournament
GAME 3 – University of South Florida 61 – High Point University 32
The opening game in the Reef Division was a defensive struggle between High Point University Purple Panthers and the University of South Florida Bulls. The Bulls shot 35 percent from the field but held the Purple Panthers to a 19.6 shooting percentage. Turnovers were also an issue for both teams, as each gave the ball away 16 times. Sophomore Emma Johansson led the Bulls with 12 points and seven rebounds. Teammate Evelien Lutje Schipholt added 11 points for South Florida. Lauren Bevis was the top performer for High Point with 12 points.
GAME 4 – University of Texas 84 – Arizona State University 42
The final game of the evening saw the University of Texas Longhorns use the full-court pressure defense to cool off the Sun Devils of Arizona State University 84-42. Offensively, the Longhorns got off to a slow start. Taylor Jones, who is coming off two back-to-back twenty-plus scoring games, found herself in foul trouble early in this game. Her teammates Khadija Faye and Rori Harmon carried Texas offensively, scoring 15 and 14 points, respectively. Harmon also shared the ball well, registering a game-high seven assists. Trayanna Crisp and Treasure Hunt led Arizona State offensively each scoring 11 points.
The tournament continues on Friday with four games at the Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center.
Island Division
University of Kentucky vs. University of Colorado – 2:00 p.m.
University of Cincinnati vs NC State University – 4:15 p.m.
Reef Division
Arizona State University vs University of South Florida – 6:45 p.m.
High Point University vs University of Texas – 9:00 p.m.
