ST. THOMAS, USVI – The Vanderbilt women’s basketball team will spend the Thanksgiving weekend in the Caribbean, as it was announced Wednesday that the Commodores are participating in the 26th Annual U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam on St. Thomas Island.
Vandy will play in the Island Division at the 2025 Paradise Island Jam. The Dores begin their two-game stay in St. Thomas on Nov. 27 against Oregon State at 7 p.m. CT. Vanderbilt then takes on either BYU or Virginia Tech on Nov. 29 at 11 a.m. CT.
All games at the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam will stream live on ESPN+ and will be played at the Sports and Fitness Center on the campus of the University of the Virgin Islands.
Fans wanting to join Vandy in the U.S. Virgin Islands can do so with an exclusive fan pack provided by Basketball Travelers Inc. Fans can click here for more information on the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam fan pack.
The matchup between the Commodores and the Beavers will be the first time since the 2001-02 season that the two schools have met on the hardwood. Vanderbilt is 3-0 against Oregon State, with the last victory coming in Memorial Gymnasium as part of the 2001 Preseason WNIT.
Three of the four teams in the Island Division at the Paradise Jam appeared in the NCAA Tournament last season, with the Dores, Oregon State and Virginia Tech each earning March Madness bids in 2024-25.
It will be the second time under head coach Shea Ralph that Vanderbilt will participate in the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam, as the Dores played in the event during her inaugural season at Vandy in 2021-22. The Commodores first participated in the Paradise Jam in 2017, which took place in Washington, D.C., due to hurricane damage on St. Thomas Island.
Vanderbilt enters the 2025-26 season returning seven players from an NCAA Tournament team that went 22-11 a season ago, including sophomore Mikayla Blakes, who was recently named the most valuable player at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup for Team USA. Ralph comes into her fifth season commanding the Commodores sporting a 73-59 (.553) record. Vanderbilt is 45-21 (.682) over the last two seasons, which include 17 victories against SEC teams. The Commodores have made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in each of the last two seasons, a first for the program since earning 15-straight bids from 1999-2014.
Season tickets for the 2025-26 Vanderbilt women’s basketball campaign are now on sale. Fans can click the link here to purchase season tickets.
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