An atmosphere of excitement filled Chartway Arena on Thursday evening as the ODU men’s basketball team welcomed in-state rival James Madison for its first Royal Rivalry matchup after both schools joined the Sun Belt Conference. When it comes to men’s basketball, these two programs have a storied history that spans back to the early 70s, when the Monarchs led the all-time series 58-29. That evening, the Dukes gained the upper hand and defeated Old Dominion 78-73 in a matchup where they led the entire way.
