VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota women's basketball will be one of eight teams to play in the 2021 Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands from Nov. 25-27. The tournament field includes Arizona (Pac-12), DePaul (Big East), Northwestern (Big Ten), Pittsburgh (ACC), Rutgers (Big Ten), South Dakota (Summit), Texas A&M (SEC) and Vanderbilt (SEC).
 
South Dakota makes its debut at the Paradise Jam, one of the premier women's basketball tournaments in its 22nd year. The Coyotes have 13 returners in 2021-22, including all five starters, from this past season's NCAA Tournament squad.
 
"We're really excited about the opportunity to travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands and play in one of the premier events in women's basketball," said USD head coach Dawn Plitzuweit. "This tournament has always been very strong and this year is certainly no exception as we will face three really tough opponents in a 72-hour time period. We hope that Coyote Nation will be able to join us over Thanksgiving to be a part of a great event and to enjoy the holiday weekend on the island of St. Thomas!"
 
The Paradise Jam returns to the Virgin Islands after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 tournament. The games will be played at the University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center in St. Thomas. The field will be split into two divisions of four teams, guaranteeing each team three games.
 
The field includes five NCAA Tournament teams, highlighted by the national runner-up Arizona Wildcats. The other four NCAA squads are Northwestern, Rutgers, South Dakota and Texas A&M.
 
"We wanted to make sure we made up for last year's absence by getting the amazing people of the Virgin Islands something to be excited about for the 22nd year of this event," said Nels Hawkinson, the Paradise Jam Executive Director. "This field of strong women's programs has everything you want in an elite preseason event, and we're excited to see it translate onto the court. But on top of that, we know the players, coaches, and staff will get just as much excited by exploring and experiencing the island culture."
 
All tournament games will be streamed live on ESPN3 or ESPN+. The full tournament schedule will be announced at a later date.
 
More information on fan packages will be announced at a later date. For updates on the tournament, visit ParadiseJam.com.