GEORGETOWN, GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS - The Illinois State Redbirds will face off against Georgia in the opening round of the Cayman Islands Classic, and will face off against either Clemson or Akron in the second round, announced on Thursday, June 7, by Caymax Sports LTD.
Eight teams will compete in the tournament held Nov. 19-21 at John Gray Gymnasium, just minutes away from world famous Seven Mile Beach.
Akron will face Clemson in the opening game at 12 p.m. ET, followed by Illinois State vs. Georgia at 2:30 p.m.
In the first game of the evening session at 5 p.m. St. Bonaventure plays Georgia State. Boise State and Creighton will conclude opening-day action in the final matchup of the day starting at 7:30 p.m.
Fans can purchase tickets online, starting July 1 at www.caymanislandsclassic.com/ot/tickets.html
Semifinal round games are slated for 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. the following day, Tuesday, Nov. 20.
Losing teams will compete in their second game Nov. 20 with tip offs at 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The seventh-place game will open the final day of competition on Wednesday, Nov. 21 starting at 12 p.m., followed by the fifth-place game (2:30 p.m.), third-place game (5 p.m.) and title game (7:30 p.m.) to crown the Cayman Islands Classic champion.
Georgia finished the 2017-18 season with an 18-15 overall record, and returns three of its top five scorers from a season ago. Back for the Bulldogs is 6-4 senior guard William Jackson II, who averaged 8.4 points per game last season while leading the team with 115 assists. Also back is 6-8 senior forward Derek Ogbeide (6.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg), and 6-8 sophomore Rayshawn Hammonds (6.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg). Leading the Bulldogs in his first year with the program is former Indiana and Marquette head coach Tom Crean.
Illinois State finished 18-15 in the previous season, but returns 88 percent of its scoring from the year before. Back for the Redbirds is 6-6 senior guard/forward Milik Yarbrough, who averaged 16.6 points per game last season while pulling down 6.6 rebounds, and leading the MVC in assists per game at 4.8 per contest. Also back are seniors Phil Fayne (15.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and Keyshawn Evans (15.2 ppg, 91 made three pointers).
Last season Illinois State went 2-0 against the SEC, beating South Carolina in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Tournament in Myrtle Beach, and topping Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi in overtime.
Located in the western Caribbean Sea, an hour from Miami, the Cayman Islands comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica.