Friday, November 13th, 7:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Prudential Center (9,800) -- Newark, New Jersey. Television: None. Home Record: Saint Peter's 0-0, Seton Hall 0-0. Away Record: Saint Peter's 0-0, Seton Hall 0-0. Neutral Record: Saint Peter's 0-0, Seton Hall 0-0. Conference Record: Saint Peter's 0-0. Seton Hall 0-0. Series Record: Seton Hall leads 57-23.

GAME NOTES: Two North Jersey neighbors get together for a non-conference matchup to tip off the new season, as the Saint Peter's Peacocks take on the Seton Hall Pirates at the Prudential Center in Newark.

The Peacocks are coming off an 11-19 campaign a year ago, one in which they played some of their best basketball at season's end. The Peacocks won five of their last six regular-season games to qualify for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time since 2005, losing to Rider in the quarterfinal round.

The Pirates finished 17-15 a year ago and closed their season with a loss to Syracuse in the second round of the Big East Conference Tournament.

This marks the 81st meeting in this local rivalry, with Seton Hall holding a 57-23 all-time advantage.

Saint Peter's fourth-year coach John Dunne returns three starters from last year's unit, which got most of its point production from the backcourt. Junior guard Wesley Jenkins, a second-team All-MAAC preseason choice, led the Peacocks in scoring for the second year in a row at 15.7 ppg. He also averaged 4.3 rpg and led the team with 57 steals. Junior guard Nick Leon averaged 15.1 ppg and led the Peacocks in free-throw percentage, shooting 84.7 percent from the foul line. Junior forward Ryan Bacon started every game a year ago and averaged 11.5 ppg. He also contributed a team-best 7.9 rpg and led the MAAC in blocked shots. Saint Peters averaged just 59.3 ppg last season, in large measure because it struggled shooting the basketball, converting just 39.6 percent from the field and just 66.3 percent from the charity stripe.

The Pirates won eight of their first nine starts a year ago and fourth-year coach Bobby Gonzalez is hoping for another fast start. Gonzalez can take comfort from the fact that he has Jeremy Hazell on the floor. The junior guard led the team in scoring at 22.7 ppg, good for second in the Big East and 10th in the nation. Junior forward Robert Mitchell averaged 14.6 ppg a year ago. He also led the team in rebounding at 8.0 rpg. Senior guard Eugene Harvey started every game last season, averaged 12.5 ppg, and was fifth in the conference with 4.9 apg. Senior forward John Garcia also started every game and averaged 8.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg. He also averaged 1.8 blocked shots per game, good for fourth in the Big East, and shot 60.6 percent from the floor, good for fifth in the league. Gonzalez is also looking forward to seeing sophomore forward Herb Pope on the floor. Pope, who is expected to start, will be seeing his first game action for the Pirates after transferring from New Mexico State and sitting out last season to comply with NCAA transfer rules. If the Pirates have an Achilles' heel, it may be their long-range shooting. They shot just 31.3 percent from outside the arc in 2009.

Both programs made progress a year ago. This game will offer a good barometer for both teams as to where they stand this season. Hazell is a scoring machine though and should give the Pirates a distinct advantage here.

Predicted Outcome

Seton Hall 77, Saint Peter's 61