Monmouth University to Host 'Oceanport Night' Jan. 21

Residents of Oceanport, you are cordially invited to to don your Oceanport basketball jerseys and get rowdy this weekend.

Monmouth will host "Oceanport Night" at the MAC this Saturday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m., when the Hawks men's basketball team tips off against Northeast Conference rivals .

There will be a special Oceanport section where Mayor Mahon and the borough council will be hanging out, a pre-game jump ball ceremony (no word yet on who's to jump for it), and an exhibition game at halftime featuring youths from Oceanport basketball teams. The borough will also be recognized throughout the game and on the bright lights of the scoreboard.

Oceanport kids under 18 get in for free, and admission for adults will be reduced to $4.

Tickets can be purchased before the game from a designated table near the MAC box office.

Monmouth's Assistant Athletic Director Eddy Occipinti said he would appreciate if those interested in attending would e-mail him at eocchipi@monmouth.edu or RSVP via the Facebook event listing before Friday to give the school a rough estimate of how many people to expect.

Occipinti said the event came together when Councilman Joseph Irace (who attends a number of Monmouth events with a daughter attending the college) approached the school's community relations department with the idea.

It will be Monmouth's first such partnership with a nearby community, and Occipinti said the university will likely host special evenings for other local towns in the near future.

"We want the adults and young people who come to have a fun night, witness an exciting back and forth basketball game, and see what a beautiful building we have here," said Occipinti.

"It makes sense from an admissions and recruiting standpoint for us. We want kids who are 14, 15, 16 years old and considering colleges to see what a good school we have here and get them on campus. Monmouth offers a good education and this is a great area, so it's a great option for kids who don't want to leave."

Occipinti, an Eatontown native and Monmouth graduate, will be calling the game as the  play by play announcer on The Shore Sports Network.

Though Monmouth (3-16 overall, 1-5 NEC) and Robert Morris (13-6 overall, 4-2 NEC) are at opposite ends of the standings, previous games between the teams have been competitive.

The Colonials edged the Hawks 69-51 on their home court in Moon, Pa. on Dec. 3, and RMU boasts a 10-2 record against Monmouth over the past five years.

Robert Morris Head Coach Andy Toole is a former Red Bank resident. At 30, Toole is the youngest head coach in Division I basketball. He is a graduate of Lincroft's .