George Mason will compete in the four-team field at the 2020 Junkanoo Jam this November in the Bahamas.
In addition to the Patriots, tournament participants include Boston College, BYU and Tulsa.
The event will be held Nov. 17-21 on Bimini Island in the Bahamas.
In addition, Mason will host competition inside EagleBank Arena as part of the event.
The tournament is another iteration in Mason’s tour across the globe over the past few seasons. The Patriots played in the Cancun Challenge in Mexico and took part in a nine-day foreign tour through Spain in 2017. The Patriots then claimed victory in the 2019 Cayman Islands Classic on Grand Cayman this past November.
The Junkanoo Jam will highlight a 2020-2021 non-conference schedule which already includes a home contest against former conference rival Old Dominion (Nov. 13) and a road game at Fresno State (Dec. 5).
The Junkanoo Jam field will be a challenge for Mason. BYU is currently ranked 15th in the AP and coaches polls with a 24-7 record and a 13-3 mark in WCC play. The Cougars knocked off then-No. 2 Gonzaga 91-78 on Feb. 22 and grabbed non-conference wins over UCLA and Virginia Tech in Maui. BYU also won at Houston and beat UNLV by 33 in Provo.
Tulsa is putting together a strong 2019-2020 campaign in the American Athletic Conference while tallying a 20-9 overall mark and 12-4 record in league play. The Golden Hurricane own wins against Houston, Memphis, then-#23 Wichita State and Vanderbilt. Four of Tulsa’s top-5 scorers are underclassmen this season.
Boston College is in the midst of one of its best ACC seasons in recent memory. The Eagles own wins over Notre Dame and Virginia and have compiled seven league wins total. Despite losing star Wynston Tabbs for the season, BC has put together a good season after the emergence of freshman Jay Heath (12.9 ppg) and the development of key upperclassmen.
eams and fans will stay at the Hilton at Resorts World Bimini, the official partner of the Junkanoo Jam. Built in 2016, the resort has 305 rooms, including 18 suites, eight restaurants and bars, three pools, a casino, snorkeling, big game fishing, and is located less than a 10-minute walk from the Gateway Christian Academy gymnasium where all games will be played.
Located just 50 miles off Florida’s coast, Bimini is the closest Bahamian island to the United States, boasting miles of pristine beaches. Known as Ernest Hemingway’s favorite escape, Bimini is historically significant. Visitors from around the world enjoy its historical complexity and renowned past.
Teams participating in the second session of the men’s tournament as well as the women’s tournament field will be announced at a later date.
Fans interested in supporting their team in Bimini can purchase fan travel packages now at www.junkanoojam.com.
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Chris Graham
