NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State men's basketball unveiled its full 2025-26 slate on Monday afternoon, highlighted by fierce in-state rivalries and nonconference showdowns against national powerhouses. The Spartans will play 13 home games and 18 on the road, testing themselves against perennial NCAA contenders throughout the campaign.
Norfolk State opens the season in November with three straight home games against Washington Adventist (Nov. 3), Regent (Nov. 5) and William & Mary (Nov. 8). The Spartans then head across town to Old Dominion (Nov. 11) before traveling north to Maryland where they will face Towson (Nov. 14).
The month continues with the annual "Battle of the Bay" against Hampton (Nov. 21), followed by a cross-country matchup at Wyoming (Nov. 23). Norfolk State returns home to host Virginia University of Lynchburg (Nov. 25) before closing out the month against Big 12 contender Arizona in Tucson (Nov. 29).
The Spartans face a road-heavy December with seven contests, beginning at James Madison (Dec. 6) and Baylor (Dec. 10). NSU then heads to Atlanta for the Chris Paul HBCU Challenge (Dec. 18-19) to meet Grambling and Jackson State, before competing in the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational in El Paso (Dec. 21-22) against host UTEP and either North Dakota State or UC Irvine. The calendar year concludes at Louisiana (Dec. 28).
The new year tips off with MEAC play as the Spartans hit the road for a Jan. 3 showdown at North Carolina Central, followed by a Jan. 10 battle against Delaware State in Dover. Norfolk State then makes its return to Echols Arena for a Jan. 12 clash with Maryland Eastern Shore before heading south to Orangeburg to face South Carolina State on Jan. 17.
Momentum builds back in Norfolk as Echols Arena hosts three straight contests, Elizabeth City State (Jan. 19), Coppin State (Jan. 24) and Morgan State (Jan. 26), before closing out the month on the road in Washington, D.C., with a high-energy matchup against Howard (Jan. 31).
February and March bring the heart of the conference grind, where every game carries postseason weight. After a week's rest, Norfolk State opens the month with a Feb. 7 home showdown against North Carolina Central, followed by a Valentine's Day battle at Echols Arena against Delaware State on Feb. 14.
The Spartans make a quick trip up the Eastern Shore to face the UMES Hawks (Feb. 16) before circling back to Norfolk for a rematch with South Carolina State (Feb. 21), a reprise of last year's MEAC Championship final.
The road then calls once more as NSU heads north to Baltimore, closing February and opening March with back-to-back contests at Coppin State (Feb. 28) and Morgan State (Mar. 2). The regular season finale brings the Spartans home for Senior Night against Howard (Mar. 5), a matchup expected to carry high tournament-seeding stakes.
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