Tennessee State, Fairfield on NC State’s basketball schedule

Ten non-conference games set, a few more to go.

Slowly but surely, we’re piecing NC State’s non-conference basketball schedule, and I do mean we, because this has been a collective effort. Thanks to commenters on this thread and some Twitter intel, here’s what we know for sure about the schedule:

Nov. 13 — vs. St. Francis-Brooklyn
Nov. 18-21 — Paradise Jam (three games, beginning with Montana)
Nov. 26 — vs. Loyola-Chicago
Nov. 29 — at Illinois (B1G/ACC Challenge)

Dec. 10 — vs. Tennessee State* (h/t Jason)
Dec. 15 — vs. Appalachian State
Dec. 28 — vs. Rider
TBA — vs. Fairfield (h/t Jon Rothstein)

(* — Reynolds game)

That’s 10 games total, leaving three or so left to be confirmed/revealed. (NC State played 13 non-conference games last year.) This isn’t a lineup of teams that jumps off the page, but NC State is coming off a losing season, and there is still potential for some classic Mark Gottfried #schedukong magic.

Fairfield, for example, finished fourth in the MAAC and returns nearly everyone of consequence. In the Paradise Jam, State could run through Montana, Creighton, and St. Joe’s, which would bolster the schedule strength considerably.

It’s fair to say this isn’t going to be a vintage Gottfried schedule, but this isn’t going to be an albatross come March, either.

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