BRISTOL – Due to the devastating impact of Hurricane Maria to the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the 2017 Puerto Rico Tip-Off, originally slated to be played at the Coliseo Municipal Tomas Dones in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, will be relocated to the campus of Coastal Carolina, in Conway, South Carolina. Games will be played Thursday, Nov. 16, through Sunday, Nov. 19, at the HTC Student Recreation and Convocation Center.
"The aftermath of the hurricane has caused an immense hardship to the island, and our thoughts are with the people of Puerto Rico during this difficult time," said Pete Derzis, ESPN senior vice president of college sports programming and events. "We are hopeful to be able to return next year to Puerto Rico, where our teams have enjoyed the warm hospitality and rich culture of Puerto Rico for nearly a decade."
Derzis added: "The representatives of Myrtle Beach and Coastal Carolina University have graciously opened their doors to accommodate the 11th annual Puerto Rico Tip-Off, and we are fortunate to be able to relocate this event to another wonderful destination."
ISU and South Carolina are still scheduled to open the tournament on Thursday, Nov. 16 at 10:30 a.m. CT. The Gamecocks earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament where they reached the Final Four before losing to Gonzaga by four points. South Carolina finished the season 26-11 overall and 12-8 in the Southeastern Conference.
The Redbirds will then play either Boise State or UTEP on Friday, Nov. 17 in a championship bracket (on ESPN2) or consolation semifinal (on ESPNU) matchup. Boise State earned an at-large bid to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) where the Broncos advanced to the second round. Boise State went 20-12 overall and 12-6 in the Mountain West Conference last season, while UTEP went 15-17 overall and 12-6 in Conference USA. Both teams finished third in their respective leagues. The championship, third-place, fifth-place and seventh-place games will take place on Sunday, November 19.
"The City of Myrtle Beach is pleased to host the Puerto Rico Tip-Off," said John Rhodes, mayor of Myrtle Beach. "Being a resort on the Atlantic Coast, we understand what happens to a city that has been hit by a major hurricane, and it is our privilege to be asked to help our neighbors in Puerto Rico during this difficult time. We appreciate the opportunity to have eight outstanding national universities, including the University of South Carolina, enjoy the hospitality of our beautiful city. We'd also ask that everyone support the efforts in Puerto Rico as they cope with the devastating damage of Hurricane Maria."
"On behalf of our entire University, we are pleased to assist in providing a location for this season's Puerto Rico Tip-Off under these difficult circumstances," said Matt Hogue, director of athletics at Coastal Carolina. "Most importantly, we continue to send our prayers and support to the island of Puerto Rico and look forward to our friends in the Caribbean rebuilding and resuming the hosting of their tournament. We welcome the participating teams and student athletes here in November and look forward to providing them a quality experience."
Additional information, including travel packages, can be found on the Puerto Rico Tip-Off website.
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