NC State now has the full picture for its 2026-27 men’s basketball season.
The Wolfpack’s schedule came into focus this afternoon with the release of the remaining non-conference games and the exact dates for the ACC portion of the slate. A chunk of the non-conference lineup had already been known, but now the whole thing is set from opening night through March.
NC State will start with four straight home games at Lenovo Center, beginning Nov. 2 against Campbell. The early run continues with ETSU on Nov. 6, Presbyterian on Nov. 10 and Troy on Nov. 13 before the team heads to Nassau for the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship.
In the Bahamas, the Wolfpack opens against Murray State on Nov. 19 at 6 PM on CBS Sports Network. The next night brings either Wisconsin or Seton Hall, with that game set for 7 PM or 9:30 PM on CBS Sports Network.
After returning home, NC State’s non-conference schedule keeps stacking up. Norfolk State visits on Nov. 25, followed by Elon on Nov.
- South Carolina comes to Lenovo Center on Dec. 1 for the ACC/SEC Challenge, then the Wolfpack travels to Nashville for Tennessee on Dec.
The late-December stretch is busy and unforgiving. NC State plays UNCG at Reynolds Coliseum on Dec. 11, meets North Carolina in Greensboro on Dec. 15, takes on Ole Miss in Jackson, Miss. on Dec. 19, and closes non-conference play at home against Alabama A&M on Dec. 22.
That North Carolina game in Greensboro will not count as an ACC matchup. The Wolfpack still has a conference date with the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill on Jan. 9.
The newly added home games against Campbell, ETSU, Presbyterian, Troy and Alabama A&M fill out the non-conference board, while the ACC schedule now has specific dates attached across the winter. NC State opens league play at Miami on Dec. 29 and follows with Clemson, Pitt, SMU, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, California, Stanford, Florida State, Boston College, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Duke, Louisville and Virginia through the first week of March.
The ACC Tournament is set for March 9-13 in Greensboro at First Horizon Coliseum. From there, the NCAA Tournament begins with the first and second rounds March 18-21, regionals March 25-28, the Final Four on April 3 in Detroit at Ford Field, and the national championship game on April 5 at Ford Field.
In Other News...
NC States Receiver Problem Is Forcing A Look At New Options
NC States opener against Virginia made the wide receiver situation hard to ignore. With the top five receivers from the previous season gone, the Wolfpack had trouble creating separation and gave quarterback CJ Bailey too little help as the passing game tried to find its footing. It was the kind of early reminder that roster turnover can show up fast, especially when a new-look group is asked to carry a meaningful role right away.
So the conversation now turns to who can step forward next. Freshmen Tyreek Copper and Amiri Acker are part of that search, both bringing strong high school rsums and the sort of upside that can matter quickly if they adapt to the college game. Second-year receiver Jerel Bolder is also in the mix as NC State looks for more dependable options, and the next few weeks should tell a lot about which of those names can help stabilize a thin position group. [Read more 🡒]
NC States First Home Game Comes With One Big Lineup Shakeup
NC States first home game of the 2026 season against Richmond comes with an immediate test of depth, and the biggest adjustment is on the defensive side after the loss of AJ Richardson for the season. Dave Doeren is expected to sort through the next-man-up options in the linebacking group, with Bailey Benson and DaKaari Nelson both in line for work at WILL, while Ondre Evans is slated to start at left cornerback.
The special teams picture is changing too, with Victor Snow handling punt and kick return duties as the Wolfpack settle into a new look for the opener. A detailed projected depth chart for offense, defense and special teams gives a pretty clear sense of how NC State plans to line up, but the real story Saturday will be how quickly those changes settle in once the home schedule begins. [Read more 🡒]
NC States Identity Is Being Tested By A New College Football Reality
Virginias season-opening win over NC State came with a drive that felt almost emblematic of the sports shifting ground, one that stretched to 23 plays and finished off the Wolfpack. Beyond the result, it served as a reminder of how much college football now runs through the transfer portal, with experienced offensive lines and roster turnover helping programs retool quickly and stay competitive.
Dave Doeren has adapted to that reality in his own way, bringing transfers into the program while still leaning heavily on development as a core part of NC States identity. The challenge is that building and keeping a roster looks different now, and the Wolfpack are trying to hold onto that approach even as the market for talent keeps pulling in another direction. [Read more 🡒]