#2 South Carolina Gamecocks vs #13 North Carolina Tar Heels: Preview and How to Watch

It's a day later than expected, but the Gamecocks are back in action tonight as they face the Tar Heels. The Gamecocks are 28-5 (10-2 SEC) after sweeping Tennessee at home last weekend and tonight's game in Charlotte begins a week of five straight road games. South Carolina remains a consensus top 10 team and is 2nd in the official NCAA RPI.

While the Gamecocks and the Tar Heels were frequent regular-season opponents from the 1950s until the 1980s, they have only played 15 times since 1988. Fourteen of those meetings were in the postseason, with the lone regular season matchup (a 9-4 Gamecock victory) coming in 2004. The Gamecocks have historically struggled against UNC and have a 37-60-1 all-time record against the Heels, but South Carolina is 9-6 in the last 15 games. The last meeting between the two teams was in 2013 when UNC took 2 of 3 in the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament to end South Carolina's season.

North Carolina is 23-9 (8-7 ACC) and is 17th in the NCAA RPI. UNC opened the season with a series victory at UCLA and followed it up with a sweep of Oklahoma State at home. The Heels swept Duke in a series of blowout wins to begin ACC play, but dropped their next two series to Georgia Tech and Miami. They got back on track last weekend with a series win over Virginia Tech, though they enter tonight's game coming off of a loss in the series finale against the Hokies.

Junior right-hander Taylor Widener will get the start for the Gamecocks tonight. He has a 3.80 ERA with 21 strikeouts and 6 walks this season.

The Tar Heels will start sophomore LHP Hunter Williams, who has a 1.29 ERA with 27 strikeouts and 19 walks.

When: 7 p.m.

Where: BB&T Ballpark (Charlotte, NC)

How to Watch: ESPNU

How to Listen: 107.5 The Game