Roads leading to the NCAA Tournament pass through the U.S. Virgin Islands. The 2019 Paradise Jam features a loaded field with a pair of teams that played in last March’s Tournament, two more projected to win their conferences in 2020, and more contenders. 

The competition begins with a bang, pitting 2020 NCAA Tournament hopeful Grand Canyon against a Valparaiso team off to a strong start. 

Watch the 2019 Men's Paradise Jam LIVE on FloHoops

Friday’s opening round of action concludes with a main event worthy of championship round billing in plenty of other early-season tournament fields: preseason Conference USA favorite Western Kentucky against preseason MAC favorite Bowling Green. 

Although they are on opposite sides of the bracket, the prospect of a Cincinnati-Nevada rematch looms. The two programs met in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, with Nevada winning a thrilling comeback for the ages. Both schools have new head coaches in 2019-20 who can use the Paradise Jam to build their resumes early in this campaign. 

Behold, your Paradise Jam snapshots:

Bowling Green

Conference: Mid-American

2018-19 Record: 22-12

2019-20 Record: 3-1 

Coach: Michael Huger 

Names to know: G Justin Turner(19.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals per game); G Dylan Frye (11.5 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists per game);  G/F Trey Diggs (11 points, 3.5 rebounds per game); G/F Daeqwon Plowden (9.5 points, 6.8 rebounds per game); C Tayler Mattos (5.3 points, 8.8 rebounds per game) 

Overview: Bowling Green alum Michael Huger returned to his alma mater in 2015, and his fourth season at the helm produced quite a breakthrough. The Falcons won 22 games, the program’s most since the 2001-02 NIT-bound team won 26. 

Even bigger things are projected of Huger’s fifth Bowling Green team. The Falcons are the preseason pick to win the Mid-American Conference and snap a 52-year NCAA Tournament drought. 

The Paradise Jam offers the MAC favorites a high-profile opportunity to make some noise on the national scene. Bowling Green’s efficient style of play (No. 6 nationally in turnover percentage) promises to challenge some of the great defensive teams in the tournament’s field. 

Cincinnati

Conference: American Athletic

2018-19 Record: 28-7 (1^st Round, NCAA Tournament) 

2019-20 Record: 2-1 

Coach: John Brannen

Names to know: G Jarron Cumberland (12 points per game); C Chris Vogt (11.3 points, 5.7 rebounds per game); F Tre Scott (8 points, 10.3 rebounds per game); G Jaevin Cumberland (11 points per game); G Keith Williams (10.7 points, 3 rebounds per game) 

Overview: Perennial NCAA Tournament team Cincinnati undergoes some significant changes in 2019-20. John Brannen, who led Northern Kentucky to two Big Dance invitations, replaced longtime Bearcats coach Mick Cronin in the offseason. 

Don’t anticipate much to change philosophically, though – at least, not the hard-nosed, defensive style for which Cincinnati’s long been known. Brannen’s NKU teams flourished on the defensive end, most notably finishing 2017-18 No. 75 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom.com advanced metrics. His first few games at Cincinnati have seen the Bearcats use their length to hold opponents to 40.3 shooting inside the 3-point arc, and 25.4 percent beyond it.  

Fordham

Conference: Atlantic 10 

2018-19 Record: 12-20 

2019-20 Record: 3-0 

Coach: Jeff Neubauer 

Names to know: F Chuba Ohams (14.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals per game); F Onyi Eyisi (11.5 points, 10.5 rebounds per game); G Antwon Portley (11.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists per game) 

Overview: Under coach Jeff Neubauer, Fordham’s exceeded plenty of expectations. The Rams will look to use the Paradise Jam as a springboard into the ultimate expectation-defying campaign, as they were picked to finish 14^th in the preseason Atlantic 10 Conference poll. 

Despite the underwhelming vote-of-confidence coming into the year, Fordham has playmakers who can make some noise. The Rams embark on the U.S. Virgin Islands with an under-the-radar front court of Onyi Eyisi and Chuba Ohams, capable of drawing some attention with a big weekend. 

Fordham’s team defense has been excellent through a 3-0 start, holding opponents to an effective field-goal percentage of just 40.5 (No. 22 in the nation), and the nation’s 17^th-best 3-point defense at 23.3 percent allowed.  

Grand Canyon

Conference: Western Athletic  

2018-19 Record: 20-14

2019-20 Record: 2-3 

Coach: Dan Majerle 

Names to know: G Carlos Johnson (14 points, 6.4 rebounds per game); F Lorenzo Jenkins (12.2 points, 4 rebounds per game); C Alessandro Lever (12.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3 assists per game); Isiah Brown (11.2 points, 4 rebounds per game); Jovan Blacksher Jr. (11.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists per game) 

Overview: Grand Canyon has knocked on the door of making its first NCAA Tournament consistently over the last few seasons, but fallen short. The Lopes are projected to again finish second to New Mexico State in this year’s Western Athletic Conference race. 

But before another potential meeting in Las Vegas, Grand Canyon traverses a path filled with tough matchups. The Paradise Jam continues that trend. 

GCU opened 2019-20 with a surprising loss to Davenport, before drawing a tough back-to-back of Illinois and San Diego State. The Antelopes won two straight against Arkansas Pine-Bluff and Montana State, however, and aim to continue that momentum in the Virgin Islands. 

Illinois State

Conference: Missouri Valley

2017-18 Record: 17-16

2019-20 Record: 2-1

Coach: Dan Muller

Names to know: G Zach Copeland (14 points, 4.3 assists per game); F Rey Idowu (8.3 points, 6 rebounds per game); G Dedric Boyd (13 points per game, 46.2 percent 3-point shooting); G Ricky Torres (7.3 points, 5 assists per game)  

Overview: Illinois State opens the Paradise Jam with an opportunity to make a profound statement, facing off with Cincinnati. Ahead of that matchup, however, the Redbirds already boast some strong performances. 

They opened the season knocking off a Belmont team that won a game in last year’s NCAA Tournament, and took a UCF bunch that came one bucket away from bouncing Duke in the Round of 32. 

A balanced team offense, outstanding 3-point shooting (No. 26 in the nation at 41.4 percent) and solid offensive rebounding make this bunch a threat. 

Nevada

Conference: Mountain West

2017-18 Record: 29-5 (1^st Round, NCAA Tournament) 

2019-20 Record: 2-3  

Coach: Steve Alford 

Names to know: G Jazz Johnson (18.2 points points per game, 39.5 percent 3-point shooting); G Lindsey Drew (17.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5 assists per game, 42.9 percent 3-point shooting); G Jalen Harris (11.5 points, 6.3 rebounds per game) 

Overview: The 2019-20 season sees wholesale changes both on the Nevada roster, and on the Wolf Pack bench. The core of a team that made the NCAA Tournament’s second weekend in 2018 – propelled with a Round of 32 defeat of Cincinnati – and that won almost 30 games season is gone. 

But Nevada isn’t completely rebuilding. Transfer Lindsey Drew’s eligibility adds another experienced playmaker to the lineup. Jazz Johnson is also seniors, and Jalen Harris is a junior. Once the team jells under first-year coach Steve Alford, the Pack could be contenders in the Mountain West. 

Alford came over from UCLA, where he spent six seasons. 

Valparaiso 

Conference: Missouri Valley

2018-19 Record: 15-18

2019-20 Record: 3-1 

Coach: Matt Lottich 

Names to know: G Javon Liberty-Freeman (22.3 points, 7.8 rebounds per game); G/F Ryan Fazekas (13 points per game, 41.7 percent 3-point shooting; G Nick Robinson (11.3 points, 6.3 rebounds per game); F Mileek McMillan (10.5 points, 3.3 rebounds per game); G Daniel Sackey (10 points, 6 assists per game) 

Overview: Behind the outstanding play of Javon Liberty-Freeman, Valparaiso has enjoyed an impressive – and perhaps surprising – start to 2019-20. 

The Crusaders were picked to finish next-to-last in the Missouri Valley, but opened the campaign with a win over projected Mid-American title contender Toledo. 

Five Crusaders are scoring in double-figures headed into the Paradise Jam. Their fast tempo and aggressiveness on the offensive glass promise some exciting basketball in the Virgin Islands. 

Western Kentucky

Conference: Conference USA 

2018-19 Record: 20-14 

2019-20 Record: 4-0 

Coach: Rick Stansbury 

Names to know: F Carson Williams (17.5 points, 5.8 rebounds per game, 42.9 percent 3-point shooting); G Taveion Hollingsworth (15.3 points, 4 rebounds per game); C Charles Bassey (14.8 points, 10.3 rebounds per game); G Camron Justice (12.8 points, 3 assists per game); G/F Jared Savage (9.5 points, 4.5 rebounds per game) 

Overview: Yet another team coming off a 20-win campaign in this Paradise Jam field, Western Kentucky is also 1-of-2 projected to win its conference in the season to come. 

The Hilltoppers are loaded with talent, led by Charles Bassey. He’s producing a double-double through Western Kentucky’s first four games, and is one of a remarkable eight Toppers scoring at least seven points. 

Western Kentucky’s depth allows it to play a fast pace – and Stansbury will not hesitate to push the tempo.