Matchups Announced for 2022 Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off

Matchups Announced for 2022 Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off

July 21, 2022

FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 21, 2022) – Beach and Palms Division brackets have been set for the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off, which will take place Nov. 21-23 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Fla.

In Beach Division games set for the evening of Nov. 21, Georgia Tech will face Utah at 6 p.m. ET and Mississippi State will take on Marquette at approximately 8:30 p.m. Consolation and championship games will be held in primetime on Nov. 23 at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., respectively. All games of the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off Beach Division will be televised on FS1.

It will be the first meeting between Georgia Tech and Utah, while Marquette defeated Mississippi State in the only meeting between the two teams in 2012.

Meanwhile in the Palms Division, Northern Illinois will take on Sam Houston at Noon and Long Island University will face South Dakota at 2:30 p.m. in semifinal matchups on Nov. 22. Consolation and championship games will take place Nov. 23 at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively. Coverage details for the Palms Division contests will be announced at a later date.

The complete Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off game schedule can be found below:

DateDivisionMatchupTime (ET)
Monday, Nov. 21Beach DivisionGeorgia Tech vs. Utah6 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 21Beach DivisionMississippi State vs. Marquette8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 22Palms DivisionNorthern Illinois vs. Sam HoustonNoon
Tuesday, Nov. 22Palms DivisionLIU vs. South Dakota2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 23Palms DivisionThird-Place Game11 a.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 23Palms DivisionChampionship Game1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 23Beach DivisionThird-Place Game6 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 23Beach DivisionChampionship Game8:30 p.m.

Additionally, each Beach Division team will host one Palms Division squad prior to all programs taking part in their respective four-team brackets in Southwest Florida during Thanksgiving Week. The following are the games to be played on campus (all scheduled for Nov. 17):

Official fan travel packages for the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off are now available for fans from all eight participating programs looking to spend Thanksgiving Week in sunny Fort Myers with their favorite team. Travel packages include tickets to each Beach or Palms Division game, hotel accommodations and parking at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. For complete travel package information, log on to www.fortmyerstipoff.com/travel.

At this time, the only way to guarantee tickets for the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off is to purchase an official fan travel package. Ticket-only packages, based on availability, will become available this fall. To receive the latest email alerts regarding tournament news, ticket information and more, visit our website at www.fortmyerstipoff.com.

Nationally recognized brands have also aligned themselves with the high-profile nature of the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off. Rocket Mortgage returns as the fifth-year title sponsor of the event and Lee County returns as the host partner of the event. They are joined this year by premium brands Old Trapper Beef Jerky, State Farm, Libman and O’Reilly Auto Parts.

For more information on Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off, log on to www.fortmyerstipoff.com or follow us on Twitter and Instagram (@FtMyersTipoff).

Beach Division Matchup Notes
Mississippi State vs. Marquette
Series Record: Marquette leads, 1-0
Last Matchup: November 20, 2012 (Marquette 89, Mississippi State 62)
Notable: The only prior meeting between the two teams came in a neutral site contest in Maui in 2012 … through six seasons, Chris Jans has compiled a record quite similar to Shaka Smart’s first six seasons as a head coach, with Jans owning a 143-44 (.765) record and Smart recording a 163-56 (.744) mark.

Georgia Tech vs. Utah
Series Record: First meeting in series history
Notable: While the two programs have never met, Georgia Tech head coach Josh Pastner has faced Utah twice as a player at Arizona, going 1-1 in those games – a regular season win in 1997 and an NCAA Tournament loss in the Regional Final of the 1998 NCAA Tournament … Georgia Tech junior Deivon Smith played his freshman season at Mississippi State, a potential future opponent in the Tournament.

Palms Division Matchup Notes
Sam Houston vs. Northern Illinois
Series Record: Sam Houston leads, 1-0
Last Matchup: Nov. 30, 2001 (Sam Houston 80, Northern Illinois 73)
Notable: Sam Houston won the only prior meeting between the two programs, a neutral-site victory in Milwaukee in 2001, 80-73 … Northern Illinois coach Rashon Burno spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Florida, helping the Gators to an Elite Eight in 2013 and the Final Four in 2014.

LIU vs. South Dakota
Series Record: First meeting in series history
Notable: Longtime NBA player and former NBA G-League executive Rod Strickland was named the head coach at LIU on June 30 … South Dakota head coach Eric Peterson was a longtime assistant under Craig Smith, the Utah head coach who will be participating in the Beach Division of the Tournament.

About the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off

Launched in 2018, the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off brings the nation’s top college basketball programs together for three days of incredible competition to see which team and their fans will #OwnTheFort during Thanksgiving Week. Contested at Suncoast Credit Union Arena, the home of Florida SouthWestern State College, the tournament has quickly become a staple of the Southwest Florida sports calendar. For more information on the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off, please visit www.fortmyerstipoff.com.

About Intersport

Since 1985, Intersport has been an award-winning innovator and leader in the creation of sports, lifestyle, culinary and entertainment-based marketing platforms. With expertise in Sponsorship Consulting, Experiential Marketing, Hospitality, Customer Engagement, Content Marketing, Productions and Sports Properties, this Chicago-based Marketing & Media Solutions Company helps their clients to create ideas, content and experiences that attract and engage passionate audiences. To learn more about Intersport, visit www.intersport.global, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.