ACC schedule limited NC State-UNC hoops series. A neutral site game aims to fix
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- NC State and North Carolina are negotiating a neutral-site nonconference game in.
- The neutral-site game aims to improve both programs' NET rankings and fill schedule gaps.
- The teams are targeting Dec. 15 for the matchup while finalizing contracts and a sponsor.
Tobacco Road men’s basketball is headed west for nonconference action.
N.C. State and North Carolina are reportedly working on an agreement to play in Greensboro for a nonconference matchup, the News & Observer has learned. This comes after reports that the program canceled its road game against Virginia Commonwealth, which was part of a two-game series.
The Wolfpack and Tar Heels are expected to play on Dec. 15, after the ACC-SEC Challenge, though the date is still subject to change. Both teams are working to complete contract details, including a sponsor, for the neutral-site meeting.
UNC and N.C. State reportedly agreed to a neutral site game in an attempt to benefit both programs in the NET rankings.
This will be the first meeting between the two teams, ahead of the lone ACC matchup at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill. Due to changes in the conference scheduling model, there was no return game at Lenovo Center.
This is the second consecutive season that the two teams were not scheduled to play at each other’s home arena. Last February, N.C. State defeated UNC, 82-58, in Raleigh. Tar Heels NBA Draft picks Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar were unavailable due to injuries. The game marked the first time since 1919 they didn’t also meet in Chapel Hill.
This will be an opportunity for NC State junior guard Paul McNeil to face off against former teammate Matt Able, who transferred to the Tar Heels after head coach Will Wade’s departure from the Wolfpack. Able scored 19 points and went 5 of 7 on 3-point attempts in the Wolfpack’s win.
The ACC moved to an 18-game scheduling model a year ago, which paired every team with one protected rival and had a variable home-and-home matchup. While the new schedule assists programs with NCAA Tournament resume-building, it has been criticized for breaking up longtime rivalries. This provides a remedy for the Wolfpack and Tar Heels.
The Wolfpack plays Wake Forest twice annually, and last year played Virginia twice. The Tar Heels, meanwhile, play Duke twice a season. In 2025-26, Carolina also played Syracuse in a home-and-home series.
In 2026-27, N.C. State will also play California twice. UNC plays Louisville twice.
N.C. State will host South Carolina on Dec. 1 for the ACC-SEC Challenge. It faces Tennessee at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Dec. 6. Additionally, the Pack is expected to play a neutral site game against Ole Miss in December, completing the second half of its two-game series.
