NORFOLK, Va. - Two crosstown teams meet in the middle on Friday night when the Norfolk State and Old Dominion men's basketball teams face off at Norfolk Scope Arena beginning at 7 p.m.

It will mark the first time since the 2000-01 season - Jan. 25, 2001 to be exact - that the two teams will meet at Scope Arena. That was also the last time NSU played a regular season game at Scope.

Media Coverage
The game will be broadcast live on Famous 1310 AM as well as Hot 91.1 FM with Ross Gordon and Matt Michalec on the call. Live audio is available through www.wgh1310.com as well as hot91.nsu.edu:8000/128. Both feeds are available on smartphones through the Famous 1310 website or through www.TuneIn.com or the TuneIn Radio App (search for "WNSB") for Hot 91.1.

Live stats will also be available through ODU's website.

Series History
Norfolk State and Old Dominion have met 18 times altogether, with most coming between the late 1960's and early 1980's. Since then, they have played three times, with each winning once at Scope (NSU in 1999-2000 and ODU in 2000-01), and the Monarchs also taking the most recent meeting, 68-57, on Dec. 29, 2015 at ODU's Ted Constant Convocation Center.

This will be the 12th time the two teams have met at Scope, with ODU leading 8-3 in games played at the downtown arena. The series first began in 1965-66 with a game at Little Creek Amphibious Base. NSU and ODU also met in NCAA D-II South Atlantic Regional tournament games in 1969, '71 and '74.

Scope History
The Spartans have played at Norfolk Scope numerous times since it opened in November 1971. NSU has seen time at the arena for CIAA Tournaments from 1979-85 and again from 1988-90, and the MEAC tournament since 2013. The Spartans also played numerous bigger regular season games at Scope in the 1970's and '80's when they called both Scope and Gill Gymnasium (then known as Norfolk State College Gymnasium as well as Big N Arena) home. Norfolk State opened Echols Hall prior to the 1982-83 season.

The game against ODU on Jan. 25, 2001 marked the last time NSU played at Scope outside of the MEAC tournament the past five years.

Scouting Old Dominion
The Monarchs have started the same five all season on the way to an 8-3 overall record, including wins over Towson, JMU, Dayton and Richmond. They also defeated Bowling Green, a team that beat NSU earlier this year on Dec. 2. All five ODU starters score in double figures, led by B.J. Stith (14.0 points, 5.7 rebounds) and Ahmad Caver (13.7 points, 6.2 assists). Randy Haynes (11.5 points), Trey Porter (10.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.3 blocks) and Brandan Stith (10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds) round out the starting lineup. The Monarchs have upped their scoring this year to nearly 74 points per game while still playing stout defense. Teams shoot just 39 percent overall and score 62 points per game against ODU. The Monarchs hit a healthy 45 percent from the floor, own the rebounding battle by 5.5 boards per game and turn the ball over just 10 times per game for a +4.1 turnover margin.

Last Time Out
Eastern Kentucky outscored NSU 21-3 early in the second half to pull away from the Spartans in an 83-66 victory on Monday night at EKU's McBrayer Arena. NSU trailed by 11 at the break before the Colonels went on their big run to go up by 27. They made 29-of-55 from the floor (52.7 percent), while NSU connected on 56 percent in the second half and slightly less than 50 percent for the game. EKU (6-6) had five players in double figures, led by Jackson Davis with 15 points and Nick Mayo with 14. The duo combined to shoot 11-of-17. Mastadi Pitt led the Spartans with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, and Derrik Jamerson Jr. added 14 points thanks to a 4-of-9 effort from beyond the arc. Eastern Kentucky held a 33-23 edge on the boards.

Spartan Team Tidbits
 • Norfolk State is shooting 47.7 percent from the floor, 75.0 percent from the free throw line and averaging 10.0 3-pointers over the last three games. The Spartans have averaged 26.0 points off turnovers and 12.0 fastbreak points during that time.

 • The Spartans had a season-high 13 steals at Loyola Chicago. It marked the most steals in a game since NSU had 14 against Morgan State on Jan. 21, 2013. NSU has tallied 9.4 steals during the last five games with opponents averaging 17.2 turnovers.

 • Norfolk State has been a second half team. They have scored more points in the second half than the first in eight of 12 games, with a 37.2-33.1 points per half discrepancy (+4.1) from the second to the first.

 • The Spartans also have a +0.6 rebounding margin after the break compared to a -1.0 margin before, and they average 9.1 turnovers in the first half and 7.5 after the intermission.

 • The Spartans used five different starting lineups in the first six games and six different combinations altogether this season.

 • So far this year, Norfolk State has had more fouls in nine out of 12 games.

 • NSU ranks third in the MEAC in blocks (3.4), opponent rebounding (35.0), offensive rebounds (12.1) and turnover margin (-0.33), and fourth in defensive rebound percentage (71.6), 3-point field goals (7.6), 3-point field goal percentage (34.5) and steals (6.8).

 • On a national level, NSU stands No. 53 in turnovers forced (16.25), No. 81 in offensive rebounds (12.08), No. 136 in steals (6.8) and No. 166 in blocks (3.4).

Player Tidbits
Alex Long
 • Averaging 13.8 points on 30-of-51 shooting and 5.8 rebounds last 5 games; Has 4 blocks last 2 games
 • Stands 7th in the MEAC in field goal % (52.5) and 22nd in scoring (10.7)
 • Ranks 12th all-time at NSU in blocks (83)
 • Ranks No. 294 in NCAA career records in rebounds (354) and No. 674 in points (537)

Kyle Williams
 • Shooting 22-of-52, including 13-of-35 from 3-point range, with 2.0 assists last 6 games
 • Ranks 12th in the MEAC in 3-point field goals (1.7)
 • Stands No. 1,329 in NCAA career records in points (282)

Preston Bungei
 • Averaging 12.8 points on 27-of-52 shooting with 6.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists last 6 games
 • Made 2 3-pointers for first time ever with 2 against Niagara
 • Ranks 8th in the MEAC in blocks (1.1), 11th in field goal % (44.0), 13th in defensive rebounds (4.2), 16th in rebounding (5.7) and 21st in scoring (10.8)
 • Also stands No. 238 in the nation in blocks (1.08)
 • Ranks No. 1,221 in NCAA career records in points (312)

Steven Whitley
 • Averaging 6.2 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.7 steals last 6 games
 • 10-of-10 from the free throw line last 3 games
 • Tied career high with 2 3-pointers at Eastern Kentucky
 • Tied career high with 9 assists vs. Niagara
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in steals (2.1), 4th in assists (4.4), 9th in free throw % (79.2), 11th in assist-turnover ratio (1.4), 15th in defensive rebounds (3.9), 16th in scoring (11.7) and 17th in rebounding (5.6)
 • Stands No. 52 in the nation in steals (2.08), No. 119 in assists (4.4) and No. 171 in double doubles (2)
 • Ranks No. 1,464 in NCAA career records in points (242)

Mastadi Pitt
 • Averaging 12.0 points on 13-of-28 shooting last 3 games
 • Had 19 points on career-high tying 7-of-12 field goals at Eastern Kentucky
 • Ranks 8th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (38.3), 15th in free throw % (75.8) and 29th in scoring (10.1)

Derrik Jamerson Jr.
 • Averaging 17.3 points on 25-of-50 shooting, 19-of-39 from deep, with 4.5 rebounds (3.5 offensive) and 1.5 steals last 4 games
 • Tied career high with 6 rebounds against Niagara
 • Ranks 6th in the MEAC in 3-point field goals (2.2), 14th in offensive rebounds (1.8) and 15th in 3-point field goal % (36.6)

Nic Thomas
 • Did not play in 3 games from Dec. 9-16 (injury)
 • Ranks 14th in the MEAC in free throw % (75.9)

Bryan Gellineau
 • Had career-best 2 steals at Eastern Kentucky

Good from 3
Norfolk State has made a 3-pointer in 261 straight games, dating back to a contest at South Carolina State on Jan. 25, 2010, when NSU finished 0-of-17 from 3-point range.

Winning the State
Since the start of the 2011-12 season, NSU has the fourth-most wins (121) among the 14 Division I schools in the state of Virginia. The Spartans trail Virginia (167), VCU (166) and Old Dominion (124).