The ACC announced a new plan on Tuesday. It is called Two Traditions. One Court. and it covers men’s and women’s basketball games against Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the 2026-27 season. ACC teams will face 18 HBCU programs in 37 games, and a 38th may come later.
ACC Network and ACC Network Extra will carry coordinated coverage. It will focus on the players, the coaches, and the history tied to each game.
“This season, the ACC is proud to launch an initiative that will spotlight at least 37 men’s and women’s basketball games between our programs and HBCUs,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D., in a release, according to the ACC.com
The schedule has 20 men’s games and 17 confirmed women’s games. Virginia Tech might add an 18th women’s game against Alcorn State on Nov. 24 in Destin, Florida. That depends on how the tournament plays out.
League leaders built the plan after they spoke with officials from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Hampton University, and Tennessee State University.
“We hope this is just the beginning of even more opportunities to showcase the excellence, tradition and impact of HBCU basketball and create connections that can benefit our student-athletes and programs for years to come,” said MEAC Commissioner Sonja Stills.
“The partnership with the ACC to bring storytelling to HBCU Basketball will continue the growth for each program,” said SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland.
Nine ACC alumni sit on HBCU coaching staffs. Kenneth Blakeney won a national title at Duke and now leads Howard. Nolan Smith, another Duke champion, runs Tennessee State.
Charlie Ward, a Florida State alumnus and Heisman Trophy winner, coaches Florida A&M. Courtney Simmons, who played at Louisville, leads Grambling State women’s basketball. Nate James won a national title at Duke, and he now serves as Howard’s associate head coach.
On the men’s schedule, Florida A&M visits Florida State on Nov. 2. The Florida A&M women make the same trip on Nov. 8. Grambling State’s men play at Duke on Dec. 17.
The women’s slate has Duke traveling to Norfolk State on Nov. 12. North Carolina Central plays at North Carolina on Nov. 11. Norfolk State then visits North Carolina on Dec. 21.
Men’s play starts Nov. 2 with UMES at Wake Forest, Southern at SMU, and Florida A&M at Florida State. The first women’s games also fall on Nov. 2. North Carolina Central visits Virginia Tech that day, and UMES visits Virginia.