How NC State Basketball’s Bold Schedule Sets Up a Tourney Run

In this Inside Pack Sports video, James Henderson and Jake McSwain break down NC State’s men’s basketball non-conference schedule for 2025–26 — and why it could set the Wolfpack up for a big NCAA Tournament run.

Main Announcement

• NC State will face Ole Miss in a two-year neutral-site series as part of its men’s basketball non-conference schedule.
• The first game will be in Greensboro, giving NC State a slight home-court advantage.

Significance of the Ole Miss Matchup

• Chris Beard’s teams are consistently strong and athletic, ensuring quality competition.
• NC State has struggled against Ole Miss in recent matchups, making this a notable test.
• Playing a team like Ole Miss helps NC State prepare for similar athletic teams later in the season.

Strategic Value

• Neutral-site games help from an NCAA NET ranking perspective, turning this into a quad one opportunity.
• Games in Greensboro and Charlotte are valuable because they align with typical ACC Tournament locations, offering familiarity.

Other Major Non-Conference Games

• Kansas at home will be a significant early-season challenge; NC State beat out Kansas for transfer Darien Williams.
• Auburn in the ACC-SEC Challenge provides a big road test with major resume-building potential.
• NC State will also compete in the Maui Invitational, facing other top-tier programs like Texas, Arizona State, USC, and Boise State.

Strength of Schedule

• This schedule cuts out the typical low-tier teams from past years and replaces them with solid mid-tier programs like VCU, Liberty, and UAB.
• NC State could face eight or more NCAA Tournament-caliber teams before starting ACC play.

Scheduling Philosophy

• Assistant coach Brandon Chambers emphasized building the schedule based on team expectations.
• When the team feels it is competitive, they pursue a tough schedule. In rebuilding years, they would not take this approach.

Lessons from Other Programs

• SEC teams, like Texas, structure schedules that set them up well for NCAA Tournament selection, even without many top-tier non-conference opponents.
• Louisville’s tough non-conference schedule helped prepare it for conference play, even with mixed results.

Desired Future Opponents

• Maryland, due to historical rivalry and regional ties.
• Tennessee, given staff connections and program strength.
• A traditional Big East power like UConn or Villanova.

Closing Point

• Will Wade’s reputation helps NC State attract quality non-conference opponents.
• This schedule represents a purposeful effort to challenge the team, build a strong NCAA Tournament resume, and prepare for ACC play.