2014 Puerto Rico Tip-Off Features Defending National Champions Connecticut

Tournament Bracket Announced

Featuring the 2014 NCAA National Champion Connecticut, the bracket for the 2014 Puerto Rico Tip-Off has been set. The eighth annual event will be played Thursday, Friday and Sunday, Nov. 20, 21 and 23 in San Juan.  Additional schools competing in the early-season tournament are Boston College, College of Charleston, Dayton, George Mason, New Mexico, Texas A&M and West Virginia.

The three-day, 12-game bracketed event will be played a Coliseo Roberto Clemente for the second-straight season, with ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3 presenting the games from the Caribbean island. The final two Puerto Rico Tip-Off contests on Sunday, including the championship game, will be showcased on ESPN2.

In the opening Puerto Rico Tip-Off games on Thursday, Texas A&M will play Dayton at 10:30 a.m. ET, followed by College of Charleston challenging Connecticut at 12:30 p.m. – both games will air on ESPNU.  The evening session starts at 5 p.m. with New Mexico facing Boston College on ESPN2, followed by George Mason meeting West Virginia on ESPNU at 7:30 p.m.

In addition to Connecticut (American Athletic), Dayton (Atlantic 10), participated in the NCAA Championship, advancing to the Elite Eight, and Mountain West postseason champion New Mexico also appeared. Other schools competing in the 2014 postseason were Texas A&M (Southeastern, College Basketball Invitational) and West Virginia (Big 12, National Invitation Tournament).  Boston College (Atlantic Coast), College of Charleston (Colonial) and George Mason (Atlantic 10) participated in their respective conference tournaments.

Four teams will make their second appearance in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off: College of Charleston (2007), Dayton (2009), George Mason (2009) and West Virginia (2010). West Virginia advanced to the 2010 Puerto Rico Tip-Off championship game, losing Minnesota.

Charlotte captured the 2013 Puerto Rico Tip-Off crown, as the 49ers defeated Kansas State and Northeastern in the opening rounds before upsetting nationally-ranked Michigan 63-61 in the title game. In addition to Minnesota, other winners of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off were Miami (Fla., in 2007); Xavier (2008); Villanova (2009); Alabama (2011) and Oklahoma State (2012).

For more information, please visit http://www.puertoricotipoff.com/.

Puerto Rico Tip-Off (Schedule subject to change,) 

^ – Non-bracketed game