Cayman Islands Classic

The Cayman Islands Classic, operated by Caymax Sports Ltd., is an early-season college basketball tournament that takes place in late November of each year, at John Gray Gymnasium in George Town, Cayman Islands. The tournament bracket mirrors other popular NCAA early-season basketball tournaments like Hawaii's Maui Invitational and the Bahamas’ Battle 4 Atlantis.^[1] The inaugural tournament started and concluded from November 20–22, 2017. Since the Mountain West Conference has sponsored the tournament, a Mountain West team has been featured in the classic every year.^[2]

Cayman Islands Classic

Logo of the Cayman Islands Classic
Sport	College Basketball
Founded	2017
Founder	Caymax Sports Ltd
No. of teams	8
Country	Cayman Islands
Venue(s)	John Gray Gymnasium
Most recent champion(s)	Utah State
Official website	Cayman Islands Classic

Champions

Year	Champion
2017	Cincinnati
2018	Creighton
2019	George Mason
2022	Kansas State
2023	Utah State
2024

Brackets

* – Denotes overtime period

2024

Men's

5th Place Game Tuesday, November 26

Consolation 2nd Round Monday, November 25

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Championship Tuesday, November 26

Hampton

Boise State

South Dakota State

Duquesne

Missouri State

High Point

7th Place Game Tuesday, November 26

3rd Place Game Tuesday, November 26

Old Dominion

Boston College

* – Denotes overtime period

Women's

* – Denotes overtime period

The 2024 Women's classic will be a Women's Cayman Islands Classic will be a five team Showcase Format Round-robin tournament with predetermined opponents.

Thursday, November 28       Mississippi State Utah

Friday, November 29       TCU Notre Dame

Friday, November 29       South Florida Mississippi State

Saturday, November 30       Utah Notre Dame

Saturday, November 30       South Florida TCU

2023

The tournament began on November 19, 2023, and concluded on November 21, 2023.^[3]

	5th Place Game November 21				Consolation 2nd Round November 20				First Round November 19				Semifinals November 20				Championship November 21
									Oakland	77
									Drake	85
					Oakland	74							Drake	68
					Loyola Marymount	69							Stephen F. Austin	92
									Loyola Marymount	76
									Stephen F. Austin	86
	Oakland	78															Stephen F. Austin	49
	Marshall	71															Utah State	79
									Marshall	60
									Utah State	83
	7th Place Game				Marshall	80							Utah State	65			3rd Place Game
					FIU	69							Akron	62
	Loyola Marymount	61							FIU	71							Drake	79
	FIU	60							Akron	77							Akron	59

2022

The tournament began on November 21, 2022, and concluded on November 23, 2022.^[4]

	5th Place Game November 23					Consolation 2nd Round November 22					First Round November 21					Semifinals November 22					Championship November 23
											Illinois State		61
											LSU		77
						Illinois State		66								LSU		73
						Western Kentucky		78								Akron		58
											Western Kentucky		53
											Akron		72
	Western Kentucky		71																		LSU		59
	Tulane		65																		Kansas State		61
											Nevada		75
											Tulane		66
	7th Place Game					Tulane		78								Nevada		87			3rd Place Game
						Rhode Island		75								Kansas State		96
	Illinois State		44								Kansas State		77								Akron		58
	Rhode Island		57								Rhode Island		57								Nevada		62

2021

The 2021 tournament was postponed to 2022 due to existing COVID-19 travel restrictions in the Cayman Islands.^[5]

2020

The 2020 Cayman Islands Classic was canceled due to the NCAA changing the starting date of college basketball as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[6]

2019

^[7]

	5th Place Game November 27					Consolation 2nd Round November 26					First Round November 25					Semifinals November 26					Championship November 27
											Colorado State		70
											New Mexico State		78*
						Colorado State		61								New Mexico State		65
						Loyola		60								South Florida		45
											Loyola		55
											South Florida		66
	Colorado State		79																		New Mexico State		64
	Washington State		69																		George Mason		68
											George Mason		60
											Old Dominion		53
	7th Place Game					Old Dominion		50								George Mason		85			3rd Place Game
						Washington State		66								Nebraska		66
	Loyola		68								Washington State		71								South Florida		67
	Old Dominion		61								Nebraska		82								Nebraska		74

2018

Source:.^[8][9][10] Source:^[11][12]

	5th Place Game November 21					Consolation 2nd Round November 20					First Round November 19					Semifinals November 20					Championship November 21
												Akron	69
											16	Clemson	72
						Akron		68								16	Clemson	64
						Illinois State		73									Georgia	49
											Georgia		80
											Illinois State		68
	Illinois State		73																		16	Clemson	62
	Boise State		70																			Creighton	87
											St. Bonaventure		65
											Georgia State		75
	7th Place Game					St. Bonaventure		52								Georgia State		68			3rd Place Game
						Boise State		72								Creighton		93
	Akron		61								Boise State		82								Georgia		67
	St. Bonaventure		49								Creighton		94								Georgia State		91

2017

Source:^[13]

	5th Place Game November 22					Consolation 2nd Round November 21					First Round November 20					Semifinals November 21					Championship November 22
											Louisiana		80
											Iowa		71
						Iowa		72								Louisiana		61
						South Dakota State		80								Wyoming		70
											South Dakota State		65
											Wyoming		77
	South Dakota State		94																			Wyoming	53
	Buffalo		80																		12	Cincinnati	78
											Richmond		63
											UAB		50
	7th Place Game					UAB		91									Richmond	48			3rd Place Game
						Buffalo		96								12	Cincinnati	75
	Iowa		95									Buffalo	67								Louisiana		82
	UAB		85								12	Cincinnati	73								Richmond		76

References

1. Morales, Kevin. "3 teams on board as Cayman Classic still set to tip off in 2017". Cayman27.com. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
2. "Mountain West announces sponsorship of tourney in Cayman Islands". Colorado Springs Gazette. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
3. "Bracket announced for Cayman Islands Classic". Cayman Islands Classic. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
4. "2022-23 Men's College Basketball Early Season Tournaments and Exempt Multi-Team Events (MTEs)". SB Nation. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
5. "Cayman Islands Classic Postponed Until 2022". Cayman Islands Classic. CBS Sports. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
6. "Cayman Islands Classic Canceled for 2020". Cayman Islands Classic. CBS Sports. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
7. Chris Heady. "Nebraska joins two NCAA tournament teams in Cayman Islands Classic field". omaha.com. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
8. "Source: Bonnies Headed to Cayman Islands Classic | the Bona Blog". 29 November 2017.
9. "Cayman Islands Classic confirms 5 teams for 2018 edition – Cayman27". Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
10. "Tigers to Participate in 2018 Cayman Islands Classic". clemsontigers.com. Clemson University Athletics. 17 April 2018. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
11. "BRACKET RELEASED FOR 2ND ANNUAL CAYMAN ISLANDS CLASSIC; TICKETS AVAILABLE JULY 1". caymanislandsclassic.com. CBS Interactive. 7 June 2018. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
12. "Cayman Islands Classic 2018" (PDF). grfx.cstv.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
13. "2017 Teams".

• Sports portal

External links

• Cayman Islands Classic