SCRANTON (Interstat) — Widener and Scranton will open the men’s NCAA Division III basketball season Friday at the John J. Long Center in Scranton, Pa. The visiting Pride and the home Royals both enter with 0-0 records, giving each program a fresh start and an early opportunity to establish its identity.

Widener’s most recent result was a 60-58 road win at Stevenson. Scranton’s last outing was an 85-78 home loss to Susquehanna. The Pride will try to carry the momentum from that close victory into the opener, while the Royals will look to use their home floor to move past their most recent defeat.

Widener, known as the Pride, has a busy early schedule ahead. The Pride are set to play at Marywood before returning home for games against Haverford, Chatham, Eastern, Hood, Gallaudet and Immaculata. Widener also has road matchups scheduled at Ursinus, Wilson and Stevenson. Scranton, nicknamed the Royals, will host Mary Washington, Hartwick, Moravian, Juniata, King’s (Pa.) and Centenary (N.J.) during its early slate, and the Royals also are scheduled to play at Drew, Goucher and Randolph-Macon. Scranton also has a game against Christopher Newport on its upcoming schedule.

The matchup at John J. Long Center will give both teams an early chance to settle rotations and build confidence before their schedules become more crowded. Widener will aim to pair its recent road success with a strong start to the new campaign. Scranton will try to protect its home court and begin the season on a positive note.

Both programs enter the game with 0-0 records, and the opener will provide the first on-court answer about how each team is shaping up. The Pride and Royals will meet in a setting that should offer an early test of execution and composure. Widener’s recent result came by a narrow margin, while Scranton’s most recent game ended in a seven-point home setback. Each team will seek a sharper effort in its first game of the season.

Scranton’s home venue will host a contest between teams eager to start quickly. The game is expected to draw attention as an early Division III matchup, with both sides looking to set a tone for the weeks ahead. The Royals and Pride will each have opportunities to build momentum before their nonconference schedules continue.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Scranton 86, Widener 77. Interstat’s ELO system gives Scranton an 83 percent probability to win.