No. 19 North Carolina 81, Georgia Tech 49: Freshman Joel Berry II scored 11 of his season-high 15 points in the first half as the visiting Tar Heels broke things open with an 18-4 first-half run.

Freshman Justin Jackson finished with 13 points for North Carolina (21-9, 11-6 ACC), which was not threatened after the opening minutes in building a 39-21 halftime advantage. Marcus Paige recorded a career-best six steals – five in the first half – and hit the 200th 3-pointer of his career as the Tar Heels shot 53.1 percent from the field and won back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 24-26.

Charles Mitchell scored 16 points and Demarco Cox added 14 points to lead undermanned Georgia Tech (12-18, 3-15), which lost leading scorer Marcus Georges-Hunt to a right foot injury in the opening minutes. The Yellow Jackets committed 18 turnovers and shot 32.8 percent from the field in ending the regular season on a four-game losing streak.

The Yellow Jackets committed seven turnovers - including four on consecutive possessions - in the first seven minutes but were within 16-11 with just under 11 minutes remaining in the first half, but the Tar Heels pulled away with their decisive run. Berry hit back-to-back 3-pointers early in the burst, Nate Britt scored five points during the run and Jackson’s tip-in with just over five minutes left put North Carolina up 34-15.

Berry’s third 3-pointer of the half helped the Tar Heels carry an 18-point advantage into intermission. Georgia Tech missed five of its first six shots after halftime, and baskets by Paige and Jackson extended North Carolina’s lead to 43-21 with 17½ minutes to play.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Yellow Jackets were without F Quinton Stephens (abdominal strain), G Josh Heath played sparingly due to illness and G Chris Bolden remains suspended for conduct detrimental to the team. … North Carolina's Kennedy Meeks and Brice Johnson shot a combined 4-of-15 from the field, but Johnson finished with nine rebounds and blocked four shots. … The Tar Heels end the regular season at home Saturday against No. 3 Duke.