The Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off is slated to return to Southwest Florida from Nov 21-23 and has announced the final additions to the holiday hoops tournament.
Long Island University, Northern Illinois, Sam Houston and South Dakota will compete in the Palms Division, joining already announced Beach Division participants Georgia Tech, Marquette, Mississippi State and Utah.
More:Georgia Tech, Marquette, Mississippi State and Utah headlining 2022 Fort Myers Tip-Off
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Last year’s tournament saw the Florida Gators knock off the Ohio State Buckeyes in buzzer-beater fashion, 71-68 in the Beach Division title game, while the Southern Utah Thunderbirds defeated the Bowling Green Falcons 87-73 to capture the Palms Division crown.
Each group of four will compete in its own bracket at Suncoast Credit Union Arena at Florida SouthWestern State College. The Beach Division games will take place Nov. 21 and 23, while the Palms division will be played on Nov. 22-23, with both championship games set for the final day.
LIU, South Dakota and Sam Houston finished in the upper half of their respective conferences last season and are poised to do so once again in 2022-23.
The Coyotes and the Bearkats each finished with 19 overall victories with the Bearkats posting 13 conference wins in their first season in the WAC, just one game out of sharing the conference title.
Northern Illinois enters year two under head coach Rashon Burno and will look to All-Conference honoree Keshawn Williams to lead the way, while LIU begins the Rod Strickland era with its sights set on improving its third-place conference finish last year.
