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          Davis, Bacot lead North Carolina past Georgia Tech 88-65

          Jan 15, 2022
          • AP

          CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- — Armando Bacot tied his career high with 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, RJ Davis scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, and North Carolina cruised to a 88-65 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday night.

          Bacot made 10 of 16 from the field and 9 of 9 from the free-throw line while Davis had six assists and hit four 3-pointers. Caleb Love made three 3s and finished with 14 points and Brady Manek added 11 points for North Carolina (12-4, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference).

          Davis hit a 3-pointer to open the scoring and another to cap a 10-2 opening run and the Tar Heels never trailed. Davis hit two more 3s — and Manek added a 3-pointer and a traditional three-point play — in a 16-3 spurt that made it 42-24 with 2:23 left in the first half. Bacot converted back-to-back three-point plays and then made a layup in a 50-second span to give North Carolina a 32-point lead, its biggest of the game, with 9:29 left.

          Jordan Usher led Georgia Tech (7-9, 1-5) with 22 points and Deivon Smith scored 16. The duo combined to make 16 of 27 from the field but the rest of the team shot just 34% (11 of 32).

          North Carolina has won back-to-back games following a 78-73 loss at Notre Dame.

          The Tar Heels play at Miami on Tuesday. The Hurricanes lead the ACC at 5-1, a half-game ahead of North Carolina and Duke. The Blue Devils lone loss in conference play came at home last Saturday against Miami.

          The Yellow Jackets have lost four of their last five games.

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