Paradise Jam
Location: St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, November 17-20. St. Thomas is a tropical delight and a haven for duty-free shoppers. And it's just a ferry ride from St. John. You know that postcard-picture beach that always makes you wonder, "Where is that place?" It is on St. John: Caneel Bay.

Fields: The Jam snapped back to life when the NCAA lifted restrictions on tournament entry. Alabama, Iowa and Villanova will be there this year.

Cost: Not bad. You can fly from Chicago to St. Thomas for under $500. If you can find a room in a prime hotel, it'll hurt a little.

Stars: Three

Old Spice Classic
Location: Orlando, November 23-26. If you have kids -- or are a big kid yourself -- you'll appreciate that this happens right on Disney property. In an arena called The Milk House, no less.

Fields: Given the all-powerful ESPN-Disney alliance, insiders expect this eventually will become Maui East. Southern Illinois, Arkansas and West Virginia will stand out this year at the Magic Kingdom.

Cost: As cheap as you need it to be.

Stars: Two

College Basketball Experience Classic
Location: Kansas City, November 20-21. Municipal Auditorium has seen better days, but K.C. is a fine place to visit.

Fields: Big-timers like the chance to play two early-round home games, so you'll see Duke, Marquette, Stanford and Texas Tech.

Slideshow   The Week in Sports Pictures A kayaker flips out, a racehorse eyes the Triple Crown and more. more photos

Stars: Two

What the heck, here's a one-star event, too
The Great Alaska Shootout (November 21-25 in Anchorage) once was a grand tournament, but now it has too much competition from other tourneys and can't get around the difficulty of traveling to Alaska -- and the dodgy weather. My first Shootout trip, 1987: a 2-foot snowstorm. Second trip, 1998: subzero temperatures. Alaskans try to make up for all that with first-class treatment. If they held this thing in July, it'd be four stars, easy.

More news

Jae C. Hong / AP

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