ATLANTA (Interstat) — In a game defined by a stifling defensive presence and near-flawless ball security, the North Carolina Tar Heels methodically dispatched the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 91-75 in Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball action Saturday afternoon at a sold-out Hank McCamish Pavilion.

The most important part of the game was established in the opening minutes and never relented: North Carolina’s overwhelming defensive pressure, particularly from 7-foot center Henri Veesaar, and its historically careful handling of the basketball. The Tar Heels forced Georgia Tech into 12 turnovers while committing a remarkably low two of their own, leading to a decisive 18-0 advantage in points off turnovers. This disparity, coupled with a dominant 44-32 edge in points in the paint, formed the foundation of the victory before an announced crowd of 8,700.

North Carolina (17-4, 7-3 ACC) seized control with a 15-2 run midway through the first half, turning a narrow 10-7 lead into a 25-9 advantage. The surge was fueled by the Tar Heels’ defensive activity, which generated transition opportunities. Georgia Tech (11-11, 4-7) struggled to find any offensive rhythm against the length and activity of Veesaar and forward Caleb Wilson. The Yellow Jackets shot a respectable 45 percent from the field but were hampered by their giveaways and an inability to string together defensive stops.

The Tar Heels took a commanding 52-37 lead into halftime, shooting 46 percent in the opening period while limiting Georgia Tech to 37 points. The second half saw the Yellow Jackets make several pushes, cutting the deficit to 12 points on multiple occasions, but each time North Carolina had an answer, usually from Wilson or guard Seth Trimble in the lane or from Montenegrin wing Luka Bogavac on the perimeter.

Veesaar, a sophomore from Tallinn, Estonia, was the game’s most impactful player, recording a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds while anchoring the defense with four blocked shots and two steals in just 30 minutes. His early rejections of Baye Ndongo and Akai Fleming set a physical tone. Wilson, a hometown product from Atlanta, complemented him with 22 points, six rebounds and five assists. Trimble added 18 points and Bogavac scored 16, including four 3-pointers.

Georgia Tech was led by a valiant effort from Ndongo. The junior from Mbour, Senegal, scored a game-high 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds. Kowacie Reeves added 14 points and Kam Craft scored 15, but the backcourt combination of Lamar Washington and Jaeden Mustaf was held to 12 points combined and committed seven of the team’s turnovers.

North Carolina’s offensive efficiency was notable, scoring 91 points on 75 possessions for a rating of 121.8. Despite shooting just 8 of 31 from 3-point range, the Tar Heels dominated inside and capitalized at the free-throw line, making 11 of 12 attempts. Their 12 offensive rebounds also led to 16 second-chance points.

The Tar Heels’ two turnovers tied a program record for fewest in a game, a key factor in overcoming Georgia Tech’s superior shooting from beyond the arc, where the Yellow Jackets made 7 of 13. The victory keeps North Carolina in the upper tier of the ACC standings as it heads into a quick turnaround, hosting Syracuse on Monday.

Georgia Tech, which has lost three of its last four, faces a challenging road trip to California and Stanford next week. According to Interstat’s ELO system, North Carolina had an 85.1 percent probability to win pregame. The Tar Heels covered the spread as 9.5-point favorites, and the total score of 166 surpassed the over/under line of 155.5.