Raymond Felton had 25 points and nine assists and the 12th-ranked Tar Heels never trailed in beating No. 8 Georgia Tech 103-88 on Sunday night.
Sean May had a career-high 28 points for the Tar Heels (10-2, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who have won 10 of the last 12 meetings in the series. Rashad McCants added 17 as the Tar Heels earned a big win before an important stretch that includes a trip to Maryland and a home game against No. 1 Connecticut.
``This is the toughest week I think we're going to have,'' May said. ``We've just got to keep going and keep focusing.''
This was a good way to start that stretch. The Tar Heels shot 49 percent and passed the 100-point mark for the fourth time this season. Both figures were the most allowed by Georgia Tech (12-2, 0-1) this season.
``I still think we can win games in the 50s and 60s,'' North Carolina coach Roy Williams said, ``but I'd rather win in the 90s.''
Felton powered the North Carolina offense with his steady ballhandling, beating Georgia Tech's fullcourt pressure and speeding up the Tar Heels' offense. He routinely found teammates for easy scores or provided them himself when the Tar Heels needed a basket.
Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt praised Felton who went 7-for-11 from the field and 10-for-12 at the line for his command of the floor, while Williams said Felton had his best game of the season.
``That's wonderful just to see the court spread out like that,'' Felton said. ``You've got a lane and you just penetrate.''
May, meanwhile, went 11-for-20 while pulling down eight rebounds.
Jarrett Jack scored 22 points to lead the Yellow Jackets, who haven't won at the Smith Center since February 1996. Georgia Tech has lost five straight conference openers.
Georgia Tech also committed a season-high 24 turnovers and shot a season-low 41.5 percent.
North Carolina hit its first four shots all from 15 feet or closer to take a 9-0 lead and never looked back. Felton had a 3-point play and dished out two assists during the opening spurt.
The Tar Heels led by as many as 21 points in the second half and never let the lead slip below nine after the break, but it wasn't easy. The Yellow Jackets played aggressively and pushed the ball back up the court in a furious effort to get back into the contest.
In addition, the Tar Heels, who lack depth, got into foul trouble and had to play without Jawad Williams for most of the second half.
Williams got a bloody nose and a possible concussion when he collided with Jack near midcourt with 18:21 to play. Williams sustained a concussion in the Tar Heels' win against North Carolina-Wilmington on Dec. 28.
In the end, however, the Yellow Jackets' early hole was just too much to overcome.
``Every time we made a run,'' Hewitt said, ``they sent us back the other way."
http://accesswdun.com/article/2004/1/166007