NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State University men's basketball team hosts longtime rival Hampton University on Friday, Nov. 21, for the 143rd edition of the storied Battle of the Bay inside Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall. 

Both teams look to snap recent skids, with NSU dropping its last three games and Hampton entering on a two-game slide. 

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Inside the Series 

Friday marks the 143rd all-time meeting between the programs, with Norfolk State holding a 92–50 advantage in a rivalry dating back to the 1958–59 season. 

•  Hampton won the first four matchups and six of the first seven. 

•  NSU responded by winning 32 straight meetings from 1962–63 through 1976–77. 

•  The Spartans have taken seven of the last ten, including a current four-game streak. 

•  Last season, NSU earned a 67–58 win in Hampton. 

•  The last meeting at Echols came during the 2020–21 season, a 76–64 Spartan victory. 

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About the Spartans 

Norfolk State (2–3) enters the rivalry showdown looking to rebound after close losses to William & Mary (81–78) and Old Dominion (60–57), followed by a 51–41 setback at No. 18 Towson, now ranked No. 14 in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25. 

NSU struggled offensively against the Tigers, shooting 27.7% from the field, 12.5% from three (2-of-16), and 27.3% at the free-throw line. 

Devon Ellis and Elijah Jamison led the Spartans with eight points apiece, while Anthony McComb III added seven points and a team-high eight rebounds.  

On the season, McComb continues to pace the team with 15.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Ellis follows as the second-leading scorer at 12.4 points per game, with Jamison close behind, averaging 12.2 points. 

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About the Pirates 

Hampton (2–4) comes to Norfolk on a two-game losing streak after road setbacks at Holy Cross (67–61) and Boston College (63–52). 

Against BC, Xzavier Long and Daniel Johnson scored 11 points apiece. The Pirates shot 35% from the field, 17.4% from three, and 42.9% at the foul line. 

Long leads the Pirates with 12.0 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, averaging a double-double through the early part of the season. Johnson is close behind with 11.3 points per game, while Jalyke Gaines-Wyatt adds 9.6 points per game and leads the team with 20 assists. 

Hampton was picked fifth in the CAA preseason poll, with Johnson and Long earning preseason all-conference honorable mention honors. 

The Pirates are led by head coach Ivan Thomas, now in his second season. 

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Up Next 

Norfolk State has a quick turnaround hitting the road for a cross-country matchup at the University of Wyoming on Sunday, Nov. 23. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. EST / 2 p.m. MST, with the game streaming on the Mountain West Network.