R.J. Davis scored a game-high 23 points and North Carolina took command with 12 straight points early in the second half to post a 79-62 win over Georgia Tech on Sunday in Atlanta.

The Yellow Jackets owned a 39-38 edge after Michael Devoe hit two free throws with 16:08 left in the game, but the Tar Heels (6-2, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) took the lead for good on Armando Bacot's layup 22 seconds later.

That was followed by Davis' pullup 3-pointer in transition, another 3-pointer by Brady Manek, and a dunk and layup by Bacot that made it 50-39 with 12:07 remaining. Georgia Tech (5-3, 0-1) did not get closer than nine points for the remainder of the game.

Bacot finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds for his second straight double-double, while Caleb Love also added 17 points. Manek chipped in 15 as North Carolina canned 56.4 percent of its field goals, drawing 21 assists on 31 buckets.

The Tar Heels made 19 of 28 in the second half, including 7 of 9 3-pointers.

Devoe, Khalid Moore and Dallan Coleman each scored 13 points for the Yellow Jackets, while Kyle Sturdivant added 11. Devoe entered the game as the ACC's leading scorer at 25 points per game, but was limited to 12 shots in 37 minutes.

Nevertheless, Georgia Tech played the Tar Heels on even terms in the first 20 minutes, thanks in large part to efficient 3-point shooting. The Yellow Jackets hit 5 of 8 behind the arc, enabling them to stand toe-to-toe with North Carolina.

Bacot converted a layup at the 14:28 mark to give North Carolina a 12-4 lead, but Georgia Tech rallied. Coleman and Moore each drilled a couple of 3-pointers to fuel a 19-2 burst over almost six minutes as the Yellow Jackets established a 23-14 advantage after Moore stole and dunked.

However, the Tar Heels finally found traction again late in the half. Davis' 3-point play in transition sparked a 10-2 run that Anthony Harris capped with a turnaround jumper with 18 seconds left, forging a 31-31 tie at intermission.

--Field Level Media