NC State's 2026-27 Basketball Schedule: What Are the Pack's Biggest Games?

The Wolfpack finalized their upcoming basketball schedule. We take an early look at some of the big games.

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack players react to the loss during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Justin Gainey era officially begins in Raleigh when NC State hosts Campbell on Nov. 2nd. His Wolfpack will play 32 regular-season games, including 18 at home. 

Gainey will ease into the new role with four straight home games before the Wolfpack travel to Nassau, Bahamas, to compete in the Baha Mar Championship against Murray State. 

SEC Opponents 

The Wolfpack will play against three teams from the SEC this season. NC State will host South Carolina in the fourth annual ACC-SEC Challenge on Dec. 1.

They’ll trek to Nashville to face Tennessee five days later.

The Wolfpack finish off their SEC roadshow in Jackson against Ole Miss on Dec. 19. 

ACC Initiation  

Gainey will get his initiation to coaching in the ACC with a trip to Miami on Dec. 29, while fans are still in holiday mode. At least the warm Miami temperatures should be nice during their visit. 

NC State will ring in the New Year with back-to-back home games against Clemson (Jan. 2) and Pitt (Jan. 6). 

Associate head coach Justin Gainey is seen during an NCAA college basketball game between the Missouri Tigers and the Tennessee Volunteers in Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Saturday Feb. 11, 2023. Missouri defeated Tennessee in the final second of the game, 86-85. Tennesseemissouri0211 0961 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Rare Non-Conference UNC Matchup 

NC State and UNC will meet on Dec. 15 for a non-conference game in the inaugural Tobacco Road Classic. 

This meeting marks the first regular-season game between these two in-state rivals in Greensboro since they met in the Big 4 Tournament on Nov. 30, 1979.

Last season was the first time since 1919 that NC State and UNC played only once. Since 1920, these two teams had always met in a home-and-home series.

The Wolfpack hosted the Tar Heels on Feb. 17. They blew the doors off UNC in that meeting, 82-to-58. It was glorious.

This season, North Carolina will host NC State on Jan 9.

It’s a shame that conference expansion stopped home-and-home series in the ACC. With all their shared history, these two teams should meet twice a season in matchups that carry weight in the conference standings. 

2026-27 NC State Basketball Schedule 

NC State’s entire schedule is listed below. All home games are CAPITALIZED. Tip-off times for these games have not been finalized. 

Nov. 2 CAMPBELL 
Nov. 6 ETSU
Nov. 10 PRESBYTERIAN  
Nov. 13 TROY 
Nov. 19 Murray State (Baha Mar Championship) 
Nov. 20 Seton Hall/Wisconsin (Baha Mar Championship) 
Nov. 25 NORFOLK STATE 
Nov. 28 ELON 

Dec. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA (ACC/SEC Challenge) 
Dec. 6 Tennessee 
Dec. 11 UNCG (William Neal Reynolds Coliseum) 
Dec. 15 North Carolina (Tobacco Road Classic) 
Dec. 19 Ole Miss 
Dec. 22 ALABAMA A&M 
Dec. 29 Miami 

Jan. 2 CLEMSON 
Jan 6. PITT 
Jan. 9 North Carolina 
Jan. 12 SMU 
Jan. 19 Georgia Tech 
Jan. 23 WAKE FOREST 
Jan. 27 Cal 
Jan. 30 Stanford 

Feb. 3 FLORIDA STATE 

Feb. 10 Wake Forest 

Feb. 13 BOSTON COLLEGE 

Feb. 17 Virginia Tech 

Feb. 20 CAL 

Feb. 24 NOTRE DAME 

Feb. 27 Duke 

Mar. 2 LOUISVILLE 

Mar. 6 Virginia