There was a marching band outside, 6,711 eager fans inside, and all the makings of a grand opening for Seton Hall at Newark’s brand new Prudential Center. Everyone seemed ready to go.
Except for the home team.
“The atmosphere was spectacular,” Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez said. “I think our kids were so excited, so nervous, we couldn’t make a shot for a while.”
But they made enough when it counted, as Eugene Harvey scored 27 and Brian Laing had 18 and 10 rebounds en route to an 89-81 overtime victory yesterday over Monmouth. The Pirates (1-0) orchestrated an 11-2 run in the extra session, and avoided becoming the first Big East program to lose to the Hawks (0-2) in 31 tries.
“We have to be exact when we play against a Big East team,” Monmouth coach Dave Calloway said. “At times, we were.”
Especially in the second half, when the Hawks erased a 13-point halftime deficit anchored by Jhamar Youngblood (27 points) and R.J. Rutledge (13). Monmouth actually led 72-70 with 11 seconds remaining after a tip-in by George Barbour.
But Harvey sank two free throws for a 72-72 tie with 5.5 seconds left.
“I really wasn’t thinking about what was on the line,” Harvey said. “They’re just free throws. I’ve shot them before.”
Monmouth – certainly not a lightweight opening opponent as Calloway has taken the Hawks to three NCAA tournaments out of the Northeast Conference – had a chance for the stunner at the buzzer, but Whitney Coleman’s 25-footer bounced off the rim.
“We played even with them for 40 minutes,” Calloway said, “and then lost the important five-minute game.”
Larry Davis had 14 points and Paul Gause had 13 and eight steals as the Pirates had four players in double digits. The Hawks, playing their second game in three days, got 11 out of Alex Nunner and eight from Nick DelTufo.
“You could tell it was our first game, and at this point, early in the season, anybody can beat anybody,” Gonzalez said. “We were just happy to get the win. I’d rather have an ugly win than a pretty loss.”
The Prudential Center, which the Pirates share with the NHL’s Devils, has a capacity of 18,000 for basketball. But Seton Hall, which left the Meadowlands after last season, elected to close off the upper level with black curtains, allowing room for approximately 9,000.
The arena, known as The Rock, is not without a Pirates flavor, though. At the Meadowlands, the Hall – clearly the third tenant behind the NBA’s Nets and Devils – didn’t have a true identity.
At The Rock, there are former Pirate greats painted on the walls, they have their own plush locker rooms, the championship banners are easy to find, and there’s a true blue-and-white feel.
tsullivan@nypost.com
OVERTIME Seton Hall 89 Monmouth 81