Wake Forest University of the ACC will tip-off its men’s basketball season with not one but two HBCU basketball programs.
Coppin State University and North Carolina A&T will both visit the Winston-Salem, NC-based ACC program.
Coppin State will travel to the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Nov. 4 as Wake Forest opens up its season. Later that same week, Wake Forest will host in-state foe North Carolina A&T (Nov. 7).
The men’s basketball series between North Carolina A&T and Wake Forest is notable for its regional significance. Wake Forest has traditionally been the stronger team, with a series lead, but North Carolina A&T has had moments of competitiveness. The series is part of a broader sports competition, and games are often held at Wake Forest’s Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The most recent matchups include a game on November 20, 2021, where Wake Forest won 87-63. Both teams have rich basketball traditions, with Wake Forest producing several NBA players and North Carolina A&T being a prominent HBCU program with multiple NCAA tournament appearances.
The two programs will meet on the football field in August.
Wake Forest and Coppin State have met just once, with Wake Forest winning 69-52 back in February 1989.
Over the past three seasons, dating back to 2021-22, Wake Forest has pieced a 26-7 record versus non-conference opponents through regular-season play. Additionally, the Deacs have gone 28-1 at home against such teams dating back to December 2018.
The 2023-24 season saw the team enjoy a nine-game winning streak from Nov. 24 to Jan. 6 through mainly non-conference competition, in addition to two Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) contests — its best stretch since 2008-09 when the Deacs won 16 consecutive games.