Redbird basketball to participate in 2015 Cancun Challenge

Posted on February 15, 2015

The Illinois State men’s basketball team will play in the 2015 Cancun Challenge ( Photo courtesy of GoRedbirds.com)

By WJBC staff

NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State men’s basketball team will play in the 2015 Cancun Challenge, including two games in Normal, Illinois, and two games at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya near Cancun, Mexico, Nov. 24 and 25, Triple Crown Sports announced Saturday.

“Once again, we were able to get into a premier Thanksgiving tournament with great competition,” Illinois State head coach Dan Muller said. “This will be a terrific experience for our players, a great destination for fans to come join us and an outstanding opportunity on the court for our team.”

The Redbirds join fellow host-schools Maryland (currently ranked No. 19 in the country, from the Big Ten Conference), Rhode Island (Atlantic 10 Conference) and TCU (Big 12 Conference). The Cancun Challenge’s four travel teams and the 2015 tournament bracket will be announced at a later date. Both games in Mexico are scheduled to be nationally televised live on CBS Sports Network.

Illinois State is playing in the Cancun challenge for the second time. In 2011, the Redbirds finished 3-1, with their lone loss coming to in-state rival Illinois in the championship game, 63-59. Four Missouri Valley Conference programs have played in the event, including Drake (2008), Illinois State (2011), Wichita State (2012) and Northern Iowa (2014). Both Wichita State and Northern Iowa won the championship. The Redbirds have never before faced Maryland, Rhode Island or TCU.

The Cancun Challenge is a unique basketball event in which teams stay and play at the all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya. The resort’s convention center ballroom is converted into an arena, providing fans a close-up view of the games. Previous men's champions include Vanderbilt (2008), Kentucky (2009), Missouri (2010), Illinois (2011), Wichita State (2012), Wisconsin (2013), and Northern Iowa (2014).

A Triple Crown Sports representative – Andy Hansen – presented Illinois State with a Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya guitar as an official invitation to the event at Saturday’s home game against No. 13 Wichita State.

Fan Travel Information

Illinois State fans interested in cheering on the Redbirds in Cancun are encouraged to work through Suzi Davis Travel by visiting SuziDavis.com/Redbirds or calling (309) 834-3739.

Located just off the azure waters of the Caribbean Sea, Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya offers the ultimate vacation for guests of all ages with both the adults-only and family-friendly resort experiences. With a combined 1,264 ultra-posh and lavishly appointed guestrooms boasting balcony, terrace views or new, expansive sky terrace options with picturesque views, hydro tubs in each room, world-class shopping and endless style, Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya is nothing short of the ultimate crowd-pleaser.

Complete with expansive outdoor pools and private beach, this all-inclusive escape offers nine world-class restaurants, eight bars and lounges, and 88,915 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting and event space.

 

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