GAME NOTES: The Seton Hall Pirates try to remain undefeated on the season as they battle the Illinois State Redbirds in the title game of the 2014 Paradise Jam on Monday night.

The Pirates are a perfect 3-0 after as many games to tip off the 2014-15 campaign, defeating Mercer (63-47) in the opener at home, and then taking down the likes of Nevada (68-60) and Gardner-Webb (85-67) in this event the last several days.

As for the Redbirds, they too have a pair of victories in the Virgin Islands, but in their case they began the campaign with a 60-55 home loss versus Utah State. On Sunday, the team easily dismissed Old Dominion by a score of 64-45 in order to advance to this meeting, the first ever between the two schools on the basketball court.

Sterling Gibbs scored 16 points, leading four players in double figures, as the Seton Hall Pirates dismissed the Runnin' Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb by 18 points on Sunday.

Also scoring in double figures for the Pirates were Desi Washington with 15 points, to go along with nine rebounds off the bench, followed by Jaren Sina with 14 points. Angel Delgado recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 boards as the team produced a 48-33 advantage on the glass in the triumph.

Gibbs not only leads the Pirates in scoring after three games with his 16.0 ppg, he is also first in the passing department with 13 assists as he tries to get his teammates involved in the action. Mobley produces another 12.0 ppg and Sina 9.3 ppg as those top three performers have combined to make 18-of-39 behind the 3-point line for a squad that is posting 72.0 ppg and at the same time limiting the competition to only 58.0 ppg as those foes shoot a dismal 37.1 percent from the floor and 24.5 percent on the perimeter.

DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell and Bobby Hunter both scored 12 points as the Illinois State Redbirds defeated Old Dominion by 19 points in the semifinal round of the tournament on Sunday night. Also scoring in double figures for the Redbirds were Deontae Hawkins and Reggie Lynch with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Illinois State managed to survive 14 turnovers and a mere 5-of-17 shooting behind the 3-point line, but made up for some of those deficiencies by producing a 35-26 rebounding advantage.

Akoon-Purcell, a starter in two of the three games early on, leads the Redbirds not only in scoring with 15.7 ppg, but also on the glass with 7.7 rpg. The fact that he has been so strong in the paint should be reason enough for him to refrain from leaking out to the perimeter on offense where he has made just 3-of-12 attempts.

The fact that the Pirates have the potential to put up big numbers on offense and slow down the opposition should be reason enough to favor Seton Hall in the title game tonight.