NC State won’t have to wait for November to get a real look at the Justin Gainey era. The Wolfpack are set to play Mississippi State in a preseason exhibition on Sunday, October 18 at 4 p.m. at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro as part of an event called “The Preview.” Tickets for the game go on sale Friday, September 11 at 10 a.m.
It’s the first known preseason test for NC State ahead of the 2026-27 season, and it should be a useful one. Rather than rolling through an overmatched opponent behind closed doors, the Wolfpack will get an early shot at another high-major team and a chance for fans to see Gainey’s new roster in action.
On paper, NC State would be the clear favorite in a normal game. Bart Torvik’s 2026-27 preseason projections have the Wolfpack ranked No. 37 and Mississippi State at No. 62, with NC State ahead in adjusted offensive efficiency, talent rating, and overall profile. The Bulldogs, though, bring more experience, which gives this matchup a little more bite than the average exhibition.
Mississippi State is no throw-in. The Bulldogs have made the NCAA Tournament in three of the last four seasons and are anchored by guard Josh Hubbard, who put up a career-best 22.1 points per game last season while shooting 42.2 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from three. Hubbard has scored at least 17.1 points per game in each of his first three seasons in Starkville.
That makes this a valuable measuring stick for NC State, especially for a young backcourt that will have to deal with a proven high-end scorer right away. Gainey gets a chance to see how his group handles an experienced SEC opponent before the results start counting in November.
The trip to Greensboro should matter beyond October, too. NC State is already set to return to First Horizon Coliseum on December 15 for the inaugural Tobacco Road Classic against North Carolina, which will be the first regular-season meeting between the Wolfpack and Tar Heels in Greensboro since the 1979 Big Four Tournament.
And there’s another possible reason the building could become familiar. The 2027 ACC Tournament will also be held at First Horizon Coliseum, so NC State could end up playing there again in March after already making two visits earlier in the season.
Broadcast information has not yet been announced.
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