Cancun Challenge 2014: Teams, Schedule, Live Stream, Bracket, TV Info

The best part of the Cancun Challenge is that even if you lose, you can still spend time on your tan at the beach.

In reality, all eight teams that enter this tournament are hoping to earn some resume-building wins and possibly a championship that the players will remember for a long time. Although none of the squads are expected to be top contenders this season, this event could be a stepping stone to future success.

Each program will play two games on campus either before or after taking the trip to Mexico, where there will be two separate brackets with a champion for each. Follow this guide for everything you need to know about the two-week event.

Preliminary Games

Date	Away Team	Home Team	Time (ET)
Nov. 19	Liberty	Virginia Tech	7 p.m.
Nov. 20	Morgan State	Northern Iowa	8 p.m.
Nov. 20	North Florida	Northwestern	8 p.m.
Nov. 22	North Florida	Northern Iowa	2 p.m.
Nov. 22	Liberty	Miami (OH)	3:30 p.m.
Nov. 22	Elon	Northwestern	4 p.m.
Nov. 30	Elon	Miami (OH)	1 p.m.
Nov. 30	Morgan State	Virginia Tech	3 p.m.

There shouldn't be too much drama in these games outside the main tournament with the home teams likely to win most matchups. The one team to watch is Virginia Tech, which is fueled by new coach Buzz Williams, who chose the position after leaving Marquette.

The problem is Williams knows there is a lot of work to do, explaining before the season, per Patrick Stevens of Syracuse.com: "I think here, obviously you're trying to build something that needs a lot of work. There are relationships that I've had to build, that I still need to build, some of which were already in place when we were in Milwaukee. It's been a good change, to see if some of the things we learned in Milwaukee translate to here."

The Hokies are projected to finish last in the ACC and could end up struggling against a solid Liberty squad early.

Mayan Division

Date	Matchup	Time (ET)
Nov. 25	Morgan State vs. Elon	1:30 p.m.
Nov. 25	Liberty vs. North Florida	4 p.m.
Nov. 26	Consolation Game	1:30 p.m.
Nov. 26	Championship Game	4 p.m.

Select games available at CBS College Sports Live. Full bracket can be seen at CancunChallenge.net.

This is a chance for one of these smaller programs to begin the year on a high note after middling success last season. However, only one of these squads will be able to leave Mexico with two wins and a championship.

Morgan State has already struggled this season with two losses to Penn State and Towson, and it does not seem like the rest of the year will go any smoother. Elon did earn a win against Florida Atlantic, but the team struggles offensively and will not be able to keep up on the scoreboard with most opponents this season.

As a result, it would not be surprising to see the eventual winner come from the semifinal matchup between Liberty and North Florida.

While each team has plenty of ability, the difference in this matchup will be Dallas Moore. Brent Martineau of Fox30 gave his impressive on North Florida's leading scorer:

The sophomore guard has scored 43 points in the team's first two games, showing the ability to make shots from deep while also being able to drive to the lane and finish near the rim.

Liberty might have the size to cause problems inside, but Moore should lead the Ospreys to two wins in this event.

Predicted Winner: North Florida

Riviera Division

Date	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV
Nov. 25	Northern Iowa vs. Virginia Tech	7 p.m.	CBS Sports Network
Nov. 25	Northwestern vs. Miami (OH)	9:30 p.m.	CBS Sports Network
Nov. 26	Consolation Game	7 p.m.	CBS Sports Network
Nov. 26	Championship Game	9:30 p.m.	CBS Sports Network

Select games available at CBS College Sports Live. Full bracket can be seen at CancunChallenge.net.

Williams will bring some energy to Virginia Tech, but it will be a while before he can get the team to play at a consistent high level. It wouldn't be surprising to see the ACC school struggle to get a win in this tournament.

The Hokies and Miami will likely battle for third place as each deals with a rebuilding process.

Northwestern has plenty of talent to challenge any of the teams in Cancun, but the Wildcats will also struggle early as they attempt to replace Drew Crawford. JerShon Cobb, Tre Demps and Alex Olah will each have to step up in order to match up against some of the better teams around the country.

Surprisingly, though, the best team in this bracket is the one from the smallest conference. Northern Iowa showed its resolve by earning a road win against Stephen F. Austin, a place that is not easy to play, as ESPN noted:

"

Northern Iowa wins a stunner in OT! It's the first home loss for SF Austin in 1008 days #TipOffMarathon pic.twitter.com/myPUnsJXJT

— ESPN College BBall (@ESPNCBB) November 18, 2014"

Jeff Goodman of ESPN noted what this result could mean for the Panthers:

Senior forward Seth Tuttle has improved every year of his career and is now averaging 18.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in two games to start the season. He is an incredibly difficult player to defend, and he should be able to lead Northern Iowa to a tournament win.

Predicted Winner: Northern Iowa

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