NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- Old Dominion and Norfolk State have home arenas separated by just 4.5 miles, but that doesn't mean the rivals have been frequent opponents of each other.
Now the two men's basketball programs are working to change that.
The Monarchs and Spartans announced a home-and-home series Tuesday that will see the crosstown foes square off at Chartway Arena on November 11, 2025 and again at Echols Hall on November 11, 2026. Both contests will take place on Veterans Day and support the military in Hampton Roads, according to the release.
The two teams last met in December of 2022, a 68-62 Old Dominion victory that featured some postgame fireworks between the squads. The Monarchs hold a 15-6 advantage all-time against Norfolk State in a series that dates back to the 1965-1966 season. Despite the close proximity, the Spartans and ODU have only met five times in the 21st century and they've rarely battled in green and gold territory. The silver and blue played at Echols Hall during the COVID-altered 2020-2021 season, meaning no fans were permitted. Prior to that meeting, the last time the two rivals tipped off on NSU's home floor was the 1972-1973 campaign.
Old Dominion is coming off a season that saw the Monarchs take a big step forward. In Mike Jones's first season leading the program, ODU finished 15-20, 8-10 in Sun Belt play, after winning just seven total games in 2023-2024.
Norfolk State won the MEAC regular season and tournament titles this past season before falling to Florida in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans have won five conference regular season crowns and three tournament titles under head coach Robert Jones.
