CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (Interstat) — In a high-octane Atlantic Coast Conference clash defined by offensive efficiency and a decisive disparity at the free-throw line, North Carolina outlasted Virginia Tech 89-82 on Saturday night at a sold-out Dean Smith Center.

A crowd of 21,750 saw the Tar Heels, propelled by a career-high 26 points from 7-foot center Henri Veesaar and 20 points from guard Seth Trimble, improve to 23-6 overall and solidify their standing in the conference race. The Hokies, who got 19 points from Neoklis Avdalas and 16 apiece from Tobi Lawal and Ben Hammond, fell to 18-11 despite a valiant effort on the road.

The game’s pivotal stretch emerged not from a singular run, but from a sustained second-half display of offensive execution and drawing fouls by North Carolina. After the teams entered halftime knotted at 44, the Tar Heels methodically built separation by attacking the basket and capitalizing at the charity stripe. North Carolina attempted 30 free throws, making 23, while Virginia Tech was a perfect but limited 11 for 11 from the line. That 12-point advantage ultimately provided the winning margin in a game where both teams shot over 50% from the field.

Virginia Tech stayed within striking distance for much of the night behind efficient scoring. The Hokies shot 50% (31 of 62) from the floor and 39.1% (9 of 23) from three-point range. Their offensive rating of 115.1 points per 100 possessions was strong, but was eclipsed by North Carolina’s blistering 128.5 rating. The Tar Heels were even more efficient, hitting 55.8% (29 of 52) of their field goals and 40% (8 of 20) from beyond the arc.

The Hokies’ defense, which forced 12 North Carolina turnovers, could not consistently get stops when needed. Veesaar, the sophomore from Tallinn, Estonia, was particularly dominant, adding two assists and a block in 33 minutes while shooting 10 of 16 from the field. His interior presence, combined with Trimble’s slashing drives—the junior from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, also dished four assists—kept constant pressure on Virginia Tech’s defense.

Virginia Tech’s backcourt of Hammond and Avdalas kept the Hokies in contention. Hammond, the 5-foot-11 guard from Manassas, Virginia, added five assists, while Avdalas, a 6-foot-8 guard from Kalamata, Greece, matched that assist total. Lawal, the energetic forward from London, provided 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting and a block. Amani Hansberry contributed 11 points off the bench.

North Carolina’s supporting cast delivered key moments. Jonathan Powell scored 15 points, all on three-pointers, and Zayden High added 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds. The Tar Heels won the battle on the offensive glass 9-4, leading to crucial second-chance opportunities.

The most critical phase of the game unfolded over the final ten minutes. After a Neoklis Avdalas three-pointer brought Virginia Tech to within 71-68 with just over six minutes remaining, North Carolina responded with a 7-2 spurt. The sequence was emblematic of the night: a three-pointer by Veesaar, a dunk by Trimble off a Veesaar assist, and two free throws by Zayden High. That pushed the lead to 78-70 with four minutes left, and the Hokies could not close the gap to fewer than five points the rest of the way.

Virginia Tech’s final push was thwarted in the closing seconds. Down 84-80, the Hokies were forced to foul, and North Carolina’s Kyan Evans and Henri Veesaar combined to hit five of six free throws in the final 31 seconds to seal the victory.

The win keeps North Carolina in the thick of the ACC title chase as it prepares for a pivotal final week, hosting Clemson on Tuesday before traveling to face Duke next Saturday. Virginia Tech, which saw a two-game winning streak snapped, looks to regroup at home against Boston College on Tuesday before a regular-season finale at Virginia.