Robert Simpkins found himself staring around Continental Airlines Arena, trying to view it the same as the hundreds of gyms he played in prior to this day. Then he looked skyward and saw something that showed how special this occasion was.

"I thought this was just another game," the William Paterson sophomore forward said. "Then I looked up at the rafters and saw Julius Erving's banner. That's when it hit me."

It hit all of the Pioneers in much the same way. Instead of playing the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in a smaller basketball gym, they got to enjoy a taste of the big-time while running and jumping on the same floor as New Jersey Nets superstars Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin.

This is why Pioneers head coach Jose Rebimbas tapped into his Seton Hall connections. Since the early part of summer, he and Seton Hall Athletic Director Jeff Fogelson exchanged dialogue about having William Paterson team up with the Pirates for a doubleheader. Eventually, they settled on the
details: the Pioneers would oppose the USMMA after Seton Hall hosted intrastate rival St. Peter's.

"We just wanted to give the players a memory that when they're done playing basketball, they could look back and say, 'Yeah, I played there,' " said Rebimbas, who played at The Hall from 1987-90. "The experience was all about the players."

William Paterson played some of its crispest basketball at the Meadowlands, typified by sharp passing, staunch defense and steady contributions from virtually its entire roster. Senior guard Brandon Constantine played one of his finest college games, scoring a game-high 24 points off a variety of
long-range jumpers and dribble-drives in the Pioneers' 69-57 victory.

It was one thing to play in a place they watched on television so many times. It was yet another to have the virtuoso performance he did in a venue where NBA and NCAA championships have been staged.

"This was a dream come true," said Constantine, beaming after the game as he stared around Continental Airlines Arena. "To step on the floor where so many legends have played was amazing."