ACC announces Louisville basketball's 2018-19 league opponents, including series with Virginia

How's this for an introduction to the league?

Chris Mack's first season leading Louisville basketball will include home-and-home series with North Carolina and Virginia, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced Tuesday. The Cardinals will also play home-and-homes against Boston College and Pittsburgh.

Louisville's home slate includes Clemson, Duke, Miami, NC State and Notre Dame. The Cards will play road games at Florida State, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.

Times and dates for the games will be released this summer.

"We’re awfully excited," Mack said in a statement. "I think our fans are going to see some unbelievable home games from some of the best ACC teams coming in our venue."

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Pittsburgh and Virginia are Louisville's permanent home-and-home pairings, and the results couldn't contrast more. The Cards are 8-0 against Pittsburgh and 1-8 against Virginia, including an ACC Tournament quarterfinals loss this past season.

This is the second time Louisville will play a home-and-home with North Carolina. The teams split the series in 2015, Louisville's debut ACC campaign, but UNC won the rubber match in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals.

The Cards are 2-4 against the Tar Heels and unbeaten in four meetings with Boston College since joining the league.

Virginia won the ACC regular-season and tournament championships this past season, while North Carolina finished tied for third. Pittsburgh was winless in the league, and Boston College had its best season in five years.

While BC is expected to contend for an NCAA Tournament berth next campaign, UNC and Virginia are considered preseason top-10 teams.

Duke, Clemson, Florida State, Syracuse and Virginia Tech were also ranked in the CBS Sports and ESPN "way too early" rankings.

The league slate pairs with a challenging nonconference portion of Louisville's schedule.

The Cards host Kentucky and play road games at Indiana and Seton Hall. They'll also be a part of the annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge and the NIT Season Tip-Off, with games against two of Kansas, Marquette and Tennessee.

Louisville's 2018-19 schedule

Nov. 21 and 23: NIT Season Tip-Off (games vs. two of Kansas, Marquette, Tennessee)

Dec. 1 or 2: at Seton Hall

Dec. 8: at Indiana

Home games with no date set: Kentucky; two NIT Season Tip-Off home games (opponents TBD); Kent State; Nicholls State.

Other games with no date set: ACC-Big Ten Challenge (opponent TBD)

Conference games: Boston College, North Carolina, Pittsburgh and Virginia home-and-homes; at Florida State, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest; home vs. Clemson, Duke, Miami, NC State and Notre Dame.