THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, June 30, 1995                  TAG: 9506300602
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C3   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   54 lines

NSU AND HAMPTON WON'T PLAY THIS YEAR THEY SAY THEY CAN'T WORK OUT THE DETAILS AND LIKELY WON'T MEET FOR 2 YEARS.

Norfolk State and Hampton, who have not missed a basketball date since 1958, are putting their heated rivalry on ice for at least a year, and possibly two.

Barring a last minute agreement, the Spartans and Pirates won't be playing next season, and may not meet again until Norfolk State joins Hampton in Division I in the 1997-98 season.

``We just couldn't work out the details of a contract,'' Hampton athletic director Dennis Thomas said. ``Hopefully in the future we'll be able to renew the rivalry.''

Norfolk State athletic director Dick Price said there is a chance the teams could play next year, but added, ``It looks kind of slim.

``I think they're trying to wait until we move to Division I.''

Next year will be Hampton's first in Division I. As Division I members, the Pirates are not allowed to play more than two Division II opponents.

``They (Norfolk State) wanted a home and home and we just could't work that situation out,'' Thomas said. ``We had already scheduled another Division II game, so that put us in a precarious position.''

Hampton wanted to play Norfolk State just once, at Hampton. That wasn't acceptable to Norfolk State, Price said.

``We figure we carry a lot of our fans over there,'' Price said.

Norfolk State has a larger fan following than Hampton, and the two biggest crowds ever in Hampton's new Convocations Center have been for Spartan games.

Last year, 7,295 fans watched Norfolk State beat Hampton in double overtime at the Convocations Center. At least half of them were Norfolk State partisans. Hampton's second-largest crowd last season was 5,128, for Virginia Union.

Norfolk State drew 8,776 for Hampton at Echols Arena.

Price said Norfolk State might have been willing to play at Hampton if the Pirates offered a financial guarantee, as Division I schools often do to Division II members.

``It was up to them whether we played or not,'' Price said.

Thomas, asked if Hampton considered paying a guarantee, declined comment.

The Hampton-Norfolk State series is the area's oldest, and the closest geographically. The schools, located about 15 miles apart, first played in 1958-59. Norfolk State holds an edge in the series, 63-22. The teams split two games last year, including one that was televised nationally on ESPN2.

The schools won't meet in women's basketball, either, but will continue to play in other sports, including the annual ``Battle of the Bay'' football game. by CNB