Elliott Avent's N.C. State baseball teams have had the anecdote for a UNC hangover. At least until Tuesday's 2-1 loss to UCLA in the College World Series.

While the basketball and football teams have struggled to follow up an emotional win over the Tar Heels, Avent has done so regularly since 2005.

Five times in the last nine seasons, including earlier this season, Avent has won the last game of a series against UNC and each time N.C. State has won the next game.

Mark Gottfried continues to rebuild N.C. State's roster. The third-year added a sixth newcomer to the Wolfpack program on Monday in Alabama transfer Trevor Lacey.

Lacey, a 6-3, 215-pound guard, averaged 11.3 points and started every game for the Crimson Tide last season as a sophomore and led the team in 3-pointers (62). Under NCAA transfer rules, Lacey will have to sit out the 2013-14 season but will have two years of eligibility with the Wolfpack.

N.C. State's Carlos Rodon once again stymied North Carolina, this time in the College World Series. ETHAN HYMAN

OMAHA, Neb. — The game might not have matched the anticipation behind it. Carlos Rodon did, though. Rodon, the N.C. State sophomore left-hander, pitched eight shutout innings on Sunday to lead the Wolfpack to an 8-1 victory against North Carolina in the College World Series.

Here’s our coverage from yesterday, in case you missed it:

If North Carolina and N.C. State fans were excited for the teams' meeting in Durham in the ACC tournament last month (pictured), what will today by like when the Tar Heels and Wolfpack play in the College World Series? ROBERT WILLETT

OMAHA, Neb. — And welcome to game day. North Carolina and N.C. State later today will meet in what will be the most publicized college baseball game in North Carolina state history. Doesn’t get much bigger than the Tar Heels and Wolfpack in Omaha, in the College World Series.

And this could be just the beginning. State and UNC could meet later this week. In fact, they could play three times before this thing is over. But for now we’ll focus on today. Some last-minute reading to get you prepared:

N.C. State pitcher Carlos Rodon signs an autograph on Wednesday before the team departed for Omaha, Neb., and the College World Series. ETHAN HYMAN

College baseball here is probably never going to be what it is in Baton Rouge, La., or in Mississippi, or in South Carolina. But there’s no denying that the sport could be a bigger deal in the Triangle than it is, and has been.

RALEIGH It took 17 innings, and more than 7 hours, but N.C. State is going to the College World Series.

Senior center fielder Brett Williams drove in Tarran Senay in the 17th inning to lift N.C. State to a 5-4 win over Rice and clinch a spot in Omaha, Neb. for the Wolfpack for the first time since 1968.

N.C. State (49-14) needed another ninth-inning rally and nine pitchers, but it out-lasted the Owls in a classic college baseball game.

RALEIGH Wayne Graham, with almost 1,000 wins at Rice, knows what a win looks like.

With a one-run lead in the ninth, and his best relief pitcher on the mound, the Owls coach thought Saturday's Super Regional game at N.C. State looked like another winner.

"We had the game," the veteran Rice coach said.

Rice had it right up until N.C. State walked off with it. Jake Fincher's clutch single and Brett Williams' hustle gave the Wolfpack a 4-3 win over Rice and moved N.C. State to within one win of the College World Series.

Updated: 4:30 p.m.

N.C. State tried to wait out Tropical Storm Andrea on Friday afternoon. The Wolfpack will have to wait until Saturday instead to begin its Super Regional series with Rice.

Friday's Game 1 of the best-of-3 series between N.C. State and Rice was postponed until Saturday at 4 p.m. and will be televised by ESPN2. Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday at 4 p.m. and will be carried by ESPNU. Game 3, if necessary, will be played on Monday but the time has not been set.

RALEIGH N.C. State needed everything from star pitcher Carlos Rodon to beat William & Mary once.

The Wolfpack got a little bit of everything from everybody else on Sunday to knock out the Tribe and advance to the Super Regional for the second straight year.

Senior first baseman Tarran Senay drove in five runs to help N.C. State eliminate William & Mary 9-2 on Sunday night and win the NCAA regional at Doak Field.

RALEIGH Some of Carlos Rodon's family members call him "Carly," and some of his N.C. State teammates call him "Los."

Whatever Rodon lacks in creative nicknames, he makes up for with his left arm. The Wolfpack pitcher was lights out on Saturday night in the NCAA regional against William & Mary. Rodon pitched a two-hit shutout to lead N.C. State to a 1-0 win over the Tribe.

"You don't need to say anything," N.C. State coach Elliott Avent said about Rodon. "All you've got to do is just watch."