OXFORD, Miss. — Virginia coach Brian O'Connor is headed home, and this time he's taking the Cavaliers along.

O'Connor grew up watching College World Series games by his father's side and appeared there as a player and assistant coach. Now he's finally going as a head coach after leading the gutty Cavaliers to a 5-1 win over Mississippi yesterday in Game 3 of their nail-biting super regional.

"A lot will be made of that and I really don't want it to be about that. I want it to be about the kids," said O'Connor, who grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa, just across the border from Omaha, Neb.

O'Connor played at Rosenblatt Stadium with Creighton and was an assistant coach at Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish went to Omaha in 2002 under Paul Mainieri, now the coach at LSU — and Virginia's opening opponent next weekend.

Matt Packer, in his third appearance of the series, and three others combined for 10 strikeouts and allowed just seven hits as the Cavaliers (48-13-1) set the school record for wins in a season.

Packer pitched 3 2/3 innings, giving up just two hits and an unearned run with two strikeouts and one walk in the series.

The Rebels (44-20) have lost four straight super regionals over the past five seasons.

Virginia's Steven Proscia had three hits, two stolen bases and an RBI, while John Hicks was 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run.

Ole Miss won the first game, 4-3; and Virginia won the second, 4-3.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.

NORTH CAROLINA 9, EAST CAROLINA 3:

Dustin Ackley hit a three-run homer and Adam Warren took a shutout into the eighth inning to help North Carolina (47-16) beat East Carolina (46-20) and clinch its fourth straight trip to the College World Series.

With the win, North Carolina also became the first ACC school to reach the CWS, a bowl game and the men's basketball Final Four in the same season.

AUSTIN, TEXAS

TCU 3, TEXAS 2:

Matt Vern and Matt Carpenter each hit home runs and TCU (40-17) edged top national seed Texas (45-14-1) to force a deciding third game in the super regional.

Vern hit a two-run shot in the fourth inning off Texas starter Cole Green. Carpenter made it 3-0 with his solo homer off Green in the sixth.

GAINESVILLE, FLA.

SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 7, FLORIDA 6:

Joey Archer drove in three runs, reliever Scott Copeland pitched three scoreless innings and Southern Mississippi (40-24) beat Florida (42-22) to advance to the CWS for the first time in school history.

The Golden Eagles overcame a five-run deficit to win for the 12th time in 15 games.

TEMPE, ARIZ.

ARIZONA STATE 8, CLEMSON 2:

Josh Spence threw a four-hitter and struck out 10, Jason Kipnis' two-run single keyed a five-run fifth inning and Arizona State beat Clemson to advance to the College World Series for the third time in five seasons.

Spence, a junior left-hander, retired the first 11 batters and walked one in his second complete game of the year.

NCAA DIVISION I SUPER REGIONALS

(Best-of-3)

AT OXFORD-UNIVERSITY STADIUM

Oxford, Miss.

YESTERDAY

Virginia 5, Mississippi 1, Virginia advances

AT UFCU DISCH-FALK FIELD

Austin, Texas

YESTERDAY

TCU 3, Texas 2

TODAY

TCU (40-17) vs. Texas (45-14-1), 1 p.m. (Hawai'i time)

AT MCKETHAN STADIUM

Gainesville, Fla.

YESTERDAY

Southern Mississippi 7, Florida 6, Southern Mississippi advances

AT BOSHAMER STADIUM

Chapel Hill, N.C.

YESTERDAY

North Carolina 9, East Carolina 3, North Carolina advances

AT PACKARD STADIUM

Tempe, Ariz.

YESTERDAY

Arizona State 8, Clemson 2, Arizona State advances