# 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.
The rivalry has been described as an "intense but friendly cross-town rivalry".

## 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, while Norfolk State University formed as the Norfolk branch of Virginia Union University in 1935.
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. Head coach, Jeff Jones, of ODU has said he sees no plans to broaden the "Scope Series". 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.
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.

## All-time series results

| Sport | All-time series record | Last result | Next meeting |
| Baseball | ODU leads 40–9 | ODU won 16–7 on March 7, 2023 | 4/8/25 at NSU |
| Men's basketball | ODU leads 15–6 | ODU won 68–62 on December 3, 2022 | TBD |
| Women's basketball | ODU leads 24–3 | ODU won 65–44 on December 11, 2022 | TBD |
| Football | ODU leads 4–0 | ODU won 24–21 on August 31, 2019 | 9/06/26 at ODU |

## 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. ODU plays at Foreman Field; NSU at Dick Price Stadium.
| Norfolk State victories | Old Dominion victories | Tie games |
| No. | Date | Location | Winning team | Winning team | Losing 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 | 122–119$^{OT}$ |
| 8 | February 11, 1972 | Gill Gymnasium | Old Dominion | 105–101$^{OT}$ |
| 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 |||||
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