Boston College Basketball Announces First Matchup in Cayman Islands Classic

A little over two weeks ago, news broke that the Boston College men’s basketball team would be headed to the Cayman Islands from Nov. 24-26 to compete in the 2024 Cayman Islands Classic.

The Eagles are one of eight teams competing, as they join Boise State, Duquesne, Hampton, High Point, Missouri State, Old Dominion, and South Dakota State.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that BC’s first matchup will take place on Nov. 24 against Old Dominion at 7:30 p.m. ET at John Gray Gymnasium on Grand Cayman Island. It will mark the first time the two teams have met on the hardwood. The Eagles will face either Missouri State or High Point in the second round.

First-round games on the other side of the bracket include Hampton vs. Boise State and South Dakota State vs. Duquesne.

Here’s a picture of the full bracket:

BC logged a 20-16 record last season, which ended with a loss to UNLV in the second round of the NIT Tournament. The Monarchs closed 2023-24 with a record of 7-25, which was last in the Sun Belt Conference. Old Dominion’s season ended in the first round of the Sun Belt tournament with an overtime loss to Texas State.

“We are looking forward to participating in the Cayman Islands Classic,” Eagles head coach Earl Grant said when BC first learned it would be in the tournament. “This will provide our program with a great experience early in the season, competing against an outstanding tournament field in a beautiful setting on Grand Cayman.”

This will be the eighth tournament in the Classic’s history which started in 2017, however did not have an event in 2020 or 2021. Boston College will compete in the event for the first time in its history. 

“We are thrilled to host the participating teams for the sixth annual Cayman Islands Classic,” said The Honorable Kenneth Bryan, Minister for Tourism and Transport in the same press release. “This event not only showcases top-tier collegiate basketball but also highlights the Cayman Islands as a vibrant destination for sports tourism.”