Seton Hall 63, Mercer 47: Brandon Mobley had 19 points and nine rebounds, and Sterling Gibbs added 17 and five rebounds as the host Pirates opened their season with a convincing win over the Bears.

Gibbs, who had five assists, three steals and was 5-of-5 from the free-throw line, was every bit the catalyst Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard hopes he can be this season. The Pirates (1-0) raced out to a 35-24 halftime lead at the Prudential Center, and kept the Bears (1-1) at bay the rest of the way.

Ike Nwamu was 8-of-13 from the field, finishing with 20 points, four rebounds and a block for Mercer, but had little support from his starting mates. The Bears, who opened with an 88-48 win over Piedmont on Friday night, may have been a little road weary, and finished just 3-of-15 from 3-point range.

Willard also has high hopes for freshman guard Isaiah Whitehead, the Big East Preseason Rookie of the Year, who made his debut but shot just 1-of-10 from the field, and seemed nervous at times. Willard, a former guard at Pitt and Western Kentucky, will take it slow with Whitehead, and until he gets fully acclimated to the college game, his numbers may not be much better than the two points and four turnovers he had versus the Bears.

Mobley hit a jumper 35 seconds into the second half, which gave the Pirates a 37-26 lead, and set the tone for the rest of the game. With a healthy advantage, Willard was able to try several different lineup combinations and Angel Delgado, who led the team with 12 rebounds and two blocks, was among those to take advantage.

GAME NOTEBOOK: With the win, the Pirates avenged a heartbreaker from last season. On Nov. 16, 2013, Mercer posted a 77-74, double-overtime victory over Seton Hall in Macon. … Willard is seeking his first winning season since 2011-12, when Seton Hall went 21-13 and landed in the NIT. … Dating back to last season, and including the 78-71 upset of Duke in the NCAA Tournament, Mercer has now lost just two of its last eight games.