Jun 3, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels pitcher Heels Dalton Pence (49) reacts to closing out the ninth inning against the Louisiana State Tigers during the Div. I NCAA baseball regional at Boshamer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Camarati-USA TODAY Sports
- West Virginia and North Carolina meet in Game 1 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional on Friday, June 7
- UNC is the #4 overall seed in the 2024 college baseball tournament while WVU isn’t in the top-16
- Below, see the West Virginia vs North Carolina odds, predictions, and props for Game 1 of the best-of-three series
The North Carolina Tar Heels (45-14) are back in the Super Regional for the second straight season. On Friday, the 2024 team can do something the 2023 edition failed to: win a game at Super Regionals. The Tar Heels get a favorable draw, facing the West Virginia Mountaineers (33-22), who won their regional as the three-seed, beating #2 Dallas Baptist and #4 Grand Canyon (who did them the favor of taking out #1 Arizona).
The best-of-three Super Regional in Chapel Hill starts Friday night at 6:00 pm ET and the Tar Heels are heavy favorites to win Game 1.
West Virginia vs North Carolina Game 1 Odds
| Team | Runline | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia Mountaineers | +2.5 -110) | +200 | O 11 (-115) |
| North Carolina Tar Heels | -2.5 (-120) | -270 | U 11 (-115) |
North Carolina is a -270 favorite to win Game 1 and -120 on the runline to win by at least three runs. The Mountaineers come back at +200 to win and -110 to keep the score within two runs. The over/under is sitting at 11 with -115 odds both ways.
Odds as of June 7. Claim the Fanatics promo code to get a bonus for the College World Series.
WVU vs UNC Starting Pitchers for Game 1
The starting-pitcher matchup for Game 1 features a pair of lefties with Derek Clark going for WVU opposite Shea Sprague for the Heels. Sprague, a 21-year-old transfer from Elon, is getting the nod largely due to his immaculate showing in Game 1 against LSU in the regional. Sprague pitched 4.1 scoreless innings against reigning national-champion Tigers en route to a 6-2 UNC victory. North Carolina went onto win the series in three games. For the season, he has a 3.76 ERA and 1.212 WHIP in 69.1 innings.
Clark is indisputably the ace of the Mountaineers’ staff. He leads the team in innings (89.1), ERA (2.82), and strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.15-to-1). Like Sprague, Clark also dazzled for his team in the regional, pitching a complete-game four hitter in a 4-1 victory over Dallas Baptist. He struck out eight hitters without issuing a single walk, though he did bean a pair.
Derek Clark vs Shea Sprague
| 8-2 | Record | 3-1 |
| 2.82 | ERA | 3.76 |
| 1.075 | WHIP | 1.212 |
| 89.1 | IP | 69.1 |
| 8.4 | K/9 | 7.5 |
West Virginia vs North Carolina Predictions
The North Carolina offense is undoubtedly a step up in competition from what Clark faced against DBU in the regional but the odds for Game 1 aren’t giving the West Virginia lefty enough credit. He’s been one of the best pitchers in the nation this year and, despite that, the Mountaineers are still getting 2.5 runs on the runline.
I expect another big outing from WVU’s workhorse in what amounts to a must-win for his team; the WVU rotation thins out very quickly after Clark and if the Mountaineers don’t take Game 1, it’s going to be a near-impossible task to win two straight in hostile territory against the electric UNC offense.
WVU vs UNC Game 1 pick: West Virginia +2.5 (-115)
Sascha was a hockey player in his youth, a lawyer in his capricious mid-20s, and has been with SBD since 2014. He specializes in football, basketball, politics, baseball, and hockey.
The highly anticipated matchup between West Virginia and North Carolina is set to take place in Game 1 of the upcoming college basketball season. Both teams are coming off successful seasons and have high expectations for the year ahead. With so much talent on both sides, fans and analysts are eager to see how this game will play out.
West Virginia is coming off a strong season where they made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. Led by head coach Bob Huggins, the Mountaineers have a tough and physical style of play that can give opponents trouble. They have a solid core of returning players, including guard Miles McBride and forward Derek Culver, who will be key contributors in this game.
On the other side, North Carolina is looking to bounce back from a disappointing season where they missed the NCAA tournament altogether. However, the Tar Heels have a talented roster led by head coach Roy Williams. They have a mix of experienced players like Garrison Brooks and Armando Bacot, as well as highly touted freshmen like Caleb Love and Day’Ron Sharpe.
In terms of predictions for this game, it’s shaping up to be a close and competitive matchup. Both teams have the potential to make deep runs in the tournament this year, so this game could be a good indicator of where they stand early on in the season. West Virginia’s tough defense will be a challenge for North Carolina’s young players, but the Tar Heels’ size and athleticism could give them an advantage.
As for picks, it’s always tough to predict the outcome of college basketball games, especially early in the season. However, based on the talent and experience of both teams, it could go either way. The odds may slightly favor West Virginia due to their recent success and returning players, but North Carolina has the potential to pull off an upset.
Overall, this game is sure to be an exciting one for fans of both teams and college basketball in general. It will be interesting to see how these two powerhouse programs match up and who comes out on top in Game 1 of the season. Be sure to tune in and see for yourself!
