Heels rally late to beat GT going away

uncberrygatech2Trailing 67-65 late, North Carolina scored on 11 straight possessions, including a 9-0 run, to defeat Georgia Tech 86-78 in Chapel Hill. (1/2)

The Tar Heels, who led by as many as five in the first half, trailed most of the first half and were behind at halftime, 42-39, for just the second time this season.

It took eight minutes into the second half before Carolina could erase the deficit to lead for the first time since it was 15-13 with a 59-57 edge after Brice Johnson dunked with 11:55 to cap a 6-0 run.

But the Yellow Jackets took a 67-65 lead with 6:19 left on a pair of free throws by Marcus Georges-Hunt, who led all scorers with 25 points.

Over the next two and a half minutes, the Heels went on that 9-0 run led by Joel Berry who banged in an open three – just the Tar Heels second of the game – and then drove to the hoop for a layup and foul for an old-fashioned three-point play. Justin Jackson hit a floater with 3:53 left to complete the run and give UNC a 74-67 lead.

A three by GT’s Adam Smith, who hit four of five threes in the first half, cut the margin to four at 74-70 but after a Marcus Paige nine-footer on the run, Smith missed an open three and the Jackets never got close again.

The Tar Heels wrapped it up with 10 free throws down the stretch.

“It was an extremely hard fought game,” said UNC coach Roy Williams, adding that it was a typical ACC contest. “Joel Berry made a couple of huge, huge plays and he hadn’t played well up to that point.”

In taking and extending the lead, the Tar Heels finally got some defensive stops, Coach Williams said.

For more on the game, plus a box score, please click here.

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