NORFOLK, Va. — The hoops edition of the Battle of the Bay tips off Friday at Joe Echols Hall, where both the Norfolk State and Hampton basketball programs will look to snap early-season losing skids in one of the region’s most tradition-rich rivalries.

The men’s matchup is set for an 8 p.m. start. Norfolk State enters at 2–3 after dropping three straight, but the Spartans have dominated the recent series, winning six of the last seven meetings against the Pirates. Hampton, meanwhile, has lost two in a row and is equally desperate for a reset.

This isn’t just any old game if you listen to Hampton head coach Ivan Thomas. “Until they walk in that gym and they see… wait a minute, this gym is more packed than any other traditional home game.”

NSU head coach Robert Jones echoed the stakes for

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