Norfolk State–Old Dominion rivalry

The Norfolk State–Old Dominion rivalry (known by the Scope Series in basketball) refers to games between the Norfolk State Spartans of MEAC and the Old Dominion Monarchs of the Sun Belt Conference. The two schools are the only NCAA Division I schools in Norfolk, Virginia.

Norfolk State–Old Dominion rivalry

Norfolk State Spartans Old Dominion Monarchs
Sport	Multi-sport
First meeting	December 20, 1965 (MBB)
Latest meeting	March 7, 2023 (BSB)
Statistics
Meetings total	100 (all sports)
All-time series	ODU, 82–18 (all sports)

8km
5miles

Norfolk State

Old Dominion

  

Locations of Norfolk State and Old Dominion in Norfolk, Virginia.

The rivalry has been described as an "intense but friendly cross-town rivalry".^[1]

History

Both universities have their origins in the 1930s. Old Dominion University formed as the Norfolk branch of the College of William & Mary in 1930,^[2] while Norfolk State University formed as the Norfolk branch of Virginia Union University in 1935.^[3]

In 1942, Norfolk State became independent of VSU, while Old Dominion became independent of William & Mary in 1962. The first known meeting between the two schools in any varsity sport came in 1965, when the two men's basketball programs met. The game was held at the Rockwell Hall Gymnasium and won by Old Dominion, 86–82. The two programs regularly met from the late 1960s until early 1980s. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the series was dominated by Norfolk State, and in the late 1970s through 1980s the rivalry was dominated by Old Dominion. During this period, both schools played at the NCAA Division II level, with much success. In 1975, Old Dominion won the NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament. Since 1981 though, the men's basketball programs have met only four times, most recently at the neutral-site Norfolk Scope in 2017, which has called local media to see the series become an annual affair at the Scope.^[4] Head coach, Jeff Jones, of ODU has said he sees no plans to broaden the "Scope Series".^[5][6] Much of this attributes to the Spartan's traditionally weak conference and low RPI, and playing at a neutral venue, and the politics that is associated with that.^[7]

Although the men's basketball series has been more dormant, the two baseball programs have regularly played each other on a home-and-home series since the mid 1990s. The series has largely favored Old Dominion who hold a 31–8 advantage over Norfolk State. The two football programs have met regularly in the 2010s once Old Dominion reestablished their football program.^[1]

All-time series results

Sport	All-time series record	Last result	Next meeting	Source
Baseball	ODU leads 40–9	ODU won 16–7 on March 7, 2023	TBD	[8]
Men's basketball	ODU leads 15–6	ODU won 68–62 on December 3, 2022	TBD	[9]
Women's basketball	ODU leads 24–3	ODU won 65–44 on December 11, 2022	TBD	[10]
Football	ODU leads 4–0	ODU won 24–21 on August 31, 2019	9/06/26 at ODU	[11]

Football

Norfolk State and Old Dominion played for the first time on November 26, 2011, in the first round of the FCS playoffs which resulted in a 35–18 Spartan loss. Old Dominion and NSU announced a new deal for a home and away series in 2013 and 2015 to help fill out open game dates for ODU's transition to the FBS.^[11] ODU plays at Foreman Field; NSU at Dick Price Stadium.

Norfolk State victories

Old Dominion victories

Tie games

No.	Date	Location	Winning team		Losing team		Series
1	November 26, 2011	Foreman Field	#10 (FCS) Old Dominion	35	#19 (FCS) Norfolk State	18	Old Dominion 1–0
2	October 26, 2013	Dick Price Stadium	Old Dominion	27	Norfolk State	24	Old Dominion 2–0
3	September 12, 2015	Foreman Field	Old Dominion	24	Norfolk State	10	Old Dominion 3–0
4	August 31, 2019	S.B. Ballard Stadium	Old Dominion	24	Norfolk State	21	Old Dominion 4–0
5	September 5, 2026	S.B. Ballard Stadium

Basketball

Men's basketball

Norfolk State victories

Old Dominion victories

No. Date Location Winner Score 1 December 20, 1965 Rockwell Hall Gym Old Dominion 86–82 2 March 8, 1969 Norfolk Scope Norfolk State 113–102 3 February 23, 1970 ODU Fieldhouse Norfolk State 123–112 4 December 17, 1970 Gill Gymnasium Old Dominion 98–90 5 January 11, 1971 ODU Fieldhouse Old Dominion 102–97 6 March 13, 1971 Norfolk Scope Old Dominion 102–97 7 December 9, 1971 ODU Fieldhouse Norfolk State 122–119OT 8 February 11, 1972 Gill Gymnasium Old Dominion 105–101OT 9 December 18, 1972 Gill Gymnasium Norfolk State 88–74 10 February 7, 1973 ODU Fieldhouse Old Dominion 97–96 11 March 9, 1974 ODU Fieldhouse Norfolk State 89–76 No. Date Location Winner Score 12 January 10, 1978 Norfolk Scope Old Dominion 94–81 13 January 16, 1980 Norfolk Scope Old Dominion 60–57 14 December 6, 1980 Norfolk Scope Old Dominion 80–63 15 December 3, 1981 Norfolk Scope Old Dominion 76–61 16 December 29, 1999 ODU Fieldhouse Norfolk State 67–64 17 January 25, 2001 Norfolk Scope Old Dominion 69–62 18 December 29, 2015 Chartway Arena Old Dominion 68–57 19 December 22, 2017 Norfolk Scope Old Dominion 61–50 20 December 2, 2020 Echols Hall Old Dominion 80–66 21 December 3, 2022 Chartway Arena Old Dominion 68–62 Series: Old Dominion leads 15–6

Baseball

Old Dominion baseball plays their home games at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex, where they have played since 1983. Norfolk State baseball plays their home games at Marty L. Miller Field, where they have played since 1997. Prior to the opening of both venues, Old Dominion played at Foreman Field, and Norfolk State alternated between Harbor Park and Met Park.

Norfolk State victories

Old Dominion victories

No. Date Location Winner Score 1 April 24, 1979 Met Park Old Dominion 5–3 2 April 5, 1981 Foreman Field Old Dominion 16–3 3 April 27, 1981 Met Park Norfolk State 6–5 4 April 28, 1981 Met Park Old Dominion 8–1 5 April 10, 1982 Met Park Old Dominion 13–4 6 May 5, 1982 Foreman Field Old Dominion 8–1 7 April 26, 1983 Met Park Old Dominion 13–3 8 May 8, 1983 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 6–5 9 March 17, 1984 Met Park Norfolk State 7–6 10 April 21, 1984 Met Park Old Dominion 13–1 11 April 14, 1985 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 10–3 12 May 9, 1985 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 6–1 13 March 24, 1986 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 14–0 14 April 11, 1986 Met Park Old Dominion 4–3 15 March 28, 1990 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 10–9 16 May 3, 1998 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 21–5 17 April 1, 1999 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 12–5 18 April 26, 1999 Miller Field Old Dominion 13–5 19 March 14, 2000 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 31–1 20 May 9, 2000 Miller Field Old Dominion 7–3 21 April 16, 2001 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 15–3 22 May 3, 2001 Miller Field Old Dominion 7–2 23 April 28, 2002 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 8–2 24 April 29, 2002 Miller Field Old Dominion 2–0 25 April 5, 2003 Miller Field Norfolk State 8–6 No. Date Location Winner Score 26 May 7, 2004 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 13–2 27 March 6, 2005 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 10–7 28 February 21, 2006 Miller Field Old Dominion 10–2 29 May 3, 2006 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 8–2 30 March 12, 2007 Metheny Ballpark Norfolk State 2–1 31 April 23, 2007 Miller Field Old Dominion 3–0 32 March 12, 2008 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 11–5 33 March 26, 2008 Miller Field Norfolk State 10–5 34 March 23, 2010 Miller Field Norfolk State 12–5 35 April 13, 2010 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 20–5 36 April 6, 2011 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 13–5 37 March 28, 2012 Metheny Ballpark Norfolk State 7–5 38 April 17, 2012 Harbor Park Old Dominion 11–8 39 May 10, 2013 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 8–3 40 May 11, 2013 Miller Field Norfolk State 4–2 41 February 23, 2016 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 5–3 42 March 6, 2018 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 9–1 43 February 26, 2019 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 11–0 44 March 10, 2020 Metheny Ballpark Norfolk State 8–4 45 February 20, 2021 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 7–1 46 February 21, 2021 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 12–0 47 February 23, 2021 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 12–5 48 February 24, 2021 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 19–2 49 March 7, 2023 Metheny Ballpark Old Dominion 16–7 Series: Old Dominion leads 40–9

Source^[8]

See also

• List of NCAA college football rivalry games
• Battle of the Bay (Hampton–Norfolk State)
• Old Dominion–William & Mary rivalry

References

1. "ODU, Norfolk State agree to 2-game football series". The Virginian Pilot. September 11, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
2. "ODU Libraries Exhibit – ODU 75th Anniversary – 2005". Old Dominion University. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
3. "About Norfolk State". Archived from the original on December 30, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2008.
4. Minium, Harry (December 19, 2017). "ODU-Norfolk State basketball series is steeped in history. Why isn't it an annual affair?". Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
5. Epstein, Nathan (December 21, 2017). "ODU vs. Norfolk State; Will the 19th meeting be the last?". WAVY-TV. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
6. Winkler, Adam (December 22, 2017). "ODU survives scare at Scope, pulls away from Norfolk State in crosstown hoops showdown". WTKR. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
7. Winkler, Adam (December 19, 2017). "ODU coach Jeff Jones has no future plans to broaden "Scope" of hoops rivalry with Norfolk State". WTKR. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
8. "Baseball Media Guide" (PDF). odusports.com. August 21, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
9. "Norfolk State Men's Basketball Records" (PDF). Norfolk State University Athletics. July 24, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
10. "2018–19 ODU Women's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Old Dominion University Athletics. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
11. "FIRST ROUND: Old Dominion vs. Norfolk State".

External links

• Norfolk State Spartans
• Old Dominion Monarchs