Wolfpack Men's Basketball Locks in Non-Conference Slate

College basketball teams around the country began to reveal their non-conference matchups and schedules over the last week. NC State released the full schedule on Wednesday afternoon.

As Wolfpack men's basketball braces for year one of the Will Wade era, the team has some serious competition lined up in the opening months of the season before conference play starts.

The Schedule

The non-conference slate includes eight home games (at both the Lenovo Center and Reynolds Coliseum), four neutral-site games, and one true road game before the start of ACC play after Christmas.

1. NC Central - Nov. 3

The Wolfpack gets things started against a MEAC conference opponent.

2. Alabama-Birmingham - Nov. 7

The Blazers are coming off a trip to the NIT Quarterfinals and are just two seasons removed from being the NIT runner-up.

3. UNC-Greensboro - Nov. 12

UNCG finished the 2024-2025 season with a record of 20-12.

4. VCU - No. 17

The Wolfpack face one of Wade's former programs. Wade was an assistant coach under Shaka Smart at VCU from 2009 to 2013 and then served as the head coach from 2015 to 2017 before taking the LSU job.

5. Maui Invitational Game 1 vs Seton Hall - Nov. 24

The Wolfpack opens one of Feast Week's most notable tournaments against a Big East foe in Seton Hall, as the Pirates are looking to regain their form under head coach Shaheen Holloway.

6. Maui Invitational Games 2 and 3 - Nov. 25-26

Depending on how the bracket shakes out in the tournament, the first game will see the Wolfpack take on either Boise State or Southern California. The following game will also depend on the Wolfpack's performance in the first two rounds.

7. ACC/SEC Challenge At Auburn - Dec. 3

A massive test for the Wolfpack, as Auburn is fresh off of an appearance in the 2025 Final Four.

8. UNC Asheville - Dec. 6

The Bulldogs were one game away from an NCAA Tournament berth out of the Big South, but lost to Longwood after a 21-11 season in 2024-25.

9. Liberty - Dec. 10

The Flames had an explosive offense in the 2024-25 season under head coach Ritchie McKay. The team lost to Oregon in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

10. Kansas - Dec. 13

In perhaps the most exciting game of the non-conference slate, Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks will face NC State the Lenovo Center for a potentially ranked matchup.

11. Texas Southern - Dec. 17

The matchup with the SWAC opponent will be the Wolfpack's Heritage Game played at the Reynolds Coliseum rather than the Lenovo Center.

12. Ole Miss (in Greensboro) - Dec. 21

NC State's last game before the start of conference play will be against a strong SEC squad led by head coach Chris Beard. Ole Miss knocked North Carolina and third-seeded Iowa State out of the 2025 NCAA Tournament before falling to Michigan State.

Schedule Nuggets

Eight of the 11 known opponents won 20 or more games during the 2024-25 season. Wade isn't ducking any competition in his first year.

NC State will face at least five teams that played in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, with room for more depending on the results in Maui.

The ACC schedule, including matchups with rivals Duke and North Carolina, will be released later before the start of the 2025-26 college basketball season.

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