WVU Athletics has announced the 2026-27 men’s basketball nonconference schedule. Of course, we already knew some of the opponents, but this details the rest. The Big 12 is arguably one of the best conferences in college basketball, but teams also want a schedule designed to build an NCAA Tournament resume. West Virginia will test itself and see how it stacks up against North Carolina, Auburn, and rivals Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh. Read more: WVU basketball releases nonconference schedule.
The season-opening homestand
College basketball teams can now play up to three preseason exhibition games ahead of the 2026-27 season. That is an increase from two, and WVU added one for this season. The first of the three exhibitions is against Maryland at the XFINITY Center in College Park, Maryland. All three take place in October, with the first on Sunday, October 18.
The next couple are a step down in competition, but are schools in West Virginia. The Mountaineers travel to Glenville, West Virginia, to play Glenville State on Friday, October 23. The final exhibition is at Hope Coliseum on Wednesday, October 28 against Wheeling.
The Mountaineers kick off their season with a three-game homestand, beginning on November 2 against Niagara. The next two games are against Stetson on November 6 and Mercer on November 12.
Players Era 8 in Las Vegas
The marquee event for the Mountaineers in the first half of the season is the Players Era 8 tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Players Era Festival features NIL incentives and the Players Era 16, which takes place the following week. We already knew the teams in the tournament, but now we know the Mountaineers’ potential matchups.
Related: WVU MBB learns bracket for newly expanded Players Era Championship
West Virginia opens against Auburn on November 17 in the opening round. The Mountaineers then play Kansas or UNLV in game two on Wednesday, November 18. The final game is against either Houston, Rutgers, Florida, or Notre Dame on Thursday, November 19. They could play two premier Big 12 programs and see how they stack up before the conference schedule.
Dick Vitale Invitational
I already wrote an article about this game and this history of the matchup when it was first announced. The game is on Black Friday, November 27, in Charlotte, North Carolina. These teams have met five times on the hardwood, and the Mountaineers have won all five games. The most recent game was played on New Year’s Eve in 1965, so it has been quite some time.
Of course, these teams were involved in more recent drama. WVU was left out of the 68-team field in 2025, omitted in favor of North Carolina. The initial article broke it down, but West Virginia fans surely remember.
Rivalry games
The Mountaineers start the month of December with a home game against Mercyhurst on Tuesday, December 1, for the third consecutive year. Following that, WVU welcomes Virginia Tech to start a three-game series. The first game is at Hope Coliseum on Saturday, December 5. It is the 80th meeting between the programs, and WVU leads 49-30.
The next matchup is one fans have circled on their calendars. The Mountaineers travel to Pittsburgh for the 193rd meeting between WVU and Pitt. It is part of the Hope Gas Backyard Basketball Classic at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, December 9.
Related: Beyond hockey: PPG Paints Arena to host WVU and Pitt Men’s Basketball
The Mountaineers close the nonconference schedule with home games against Coppin State (December 13) and Northern Arizona (December 16). They travel to Greensboro, North Carolina, to face Wake Forest as part of the Holiday Hoopfest for the second consecutive season. They wrap up nonconference play with a home game against South Carolina State on December 21.
A nonconference slate built to test WVU immediately against high-level competition is a strong resume builder. Matchups with two rivals and a top-tier program like North Carolina serve as centerpieces to the start of a great season.
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