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ATLANTA -- If anyone thought it couldn't get any worse for defending NCAA champion North Carolina, he was wrong.

Very, very wrong.

The Tar Heels, their chance of returning to the NCAA tournament dead and buried, have had plenty of bad moments this season. But now they are getting picked on by their former victims.

Georgia Tech, which hasn't lived up to expectations itself this season, beat UNC for the second time Tuesday night. Like the first, this game wasn't close at halftime. Unlike the game at Chapel Hill, this time it stayed that way.

The Yellow Jackets took a 20-point lead at the break and smothered the Tar Heels 68-51 before a sellout crowd of 9,191 at Alexander Memorial Coliseum. The fans wearing Carolina blue were long gone before the final buzzer.

"We were mentally and physically somewhere, but it wasn't here," Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said. "I'm at a loss. I have no idea. ... Someway, somehow, I have to get us going.

"Without a doubt, this is the most frustrating thing I've ever gone through."

Georgia Tech jumped on top early at the Smith Center on Jan. 16, but had to hang on for a 73-71 victory. There was no comeback this time for by the Tar Heels, who fell to 3-8 in the ACC and 14-12 overall.

The Yellow Jackets, who like UNC had fallen out of the top 25, came in having lost three of four and coach Paul Hewitt was drawing heat. Now, Georgia Tech fans are feeling a lot better at UNC's expense.

It's the first time the Yellow Jackets (18-8, 6-6 ACC) have swept the regular-season series with the Tar Heels since 1995-96 and they led by as many as 28 points in the second half while accomplishing it.

North Carolina, which has lost nine of its past 12 games, is depleted up front without Ed Davis, Tyler Zeller and Travis Wear.

How bad was UNC in the first half? Check this out:

* The Tar Heels committed 15 first-half turnovers, leading to 15 Georgia Tech points.

* UNC shot 22.6 percent from the floor, including 1 of 7 on 3-pointers, and was 6 of 12 at the foul line.

* Allowed Georgia Tech to shoot 48.4 percent and get 20 points in the paint.

Yellow Jackets freshman Derrick Favors had 11 points and eight rebounds in the first half. The 6-foot-10 native of Atlanta finished with 13 points and nine rebounds.

"We played very well in the first half," Hewitt said.

Dean Thompson led North Carolina with 17 points.

NORTH CAROLINA (14-12) — Ginyard 0-2 0-0 0, Thompson 6-13 5-6 17, Henson 5-10 1-7 11, Drew II 2-8 2-7 7, Graves 2-9 0-0 6, Campbell 0-1 0-0 0, Strickland 2-3 0-0 4, Petree 0-0 0-0 0, McDonald 1-7 1-2 3, Watts 0-2 0-0 0, Thornton 0-0 0-0 0, Davis 0-0 0-0 0, D.Wear 1-4 1-2 3, Gallagher 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-59 10-24 51.

GEORGIA TECH (18-8) — Favors 6-9 1-5 13, Lawal 4-11 1-6 9, Shumpert 0-1 0-0 0, Bell 1-4 1-2 3, Rice Jr. 2-8 0-0 5, Udofia 1-3 1-1 3, M.Miller 4-5 0-0 11, Foreman 0-0 0-0 0, Storrs 0-0 0-0 0, Oliver 4-8 2-2 12, Sheehan 0-0 0-0 0, Shew 0-0 0-0 0, Peacock 3-7 6-8 12. Totals 25-56 12-24 68.

North Carolina 21 30 — 51
Georgia Tech 41 27 — 68

Percentages—North Carolina (FG .322, FT .417), Georgia Tech (FG .446, FT .500).
3-point goals—North Carolina 3-15 (Graves 2-6, Drew II 1-3, Ginyard 0-1, Strickland 0-1, Watts 0-1, Campbell 0-1, McDonald 0-2), Georgia Tech 6-15 (M.Miller 3-4, Oliver 2-6, Rice Jr. 1-2, Peacock 0-1, Udofia 0-1, Bell 0-1).
Fouled out—None.
Rebounds—North Carolina 39 (Henson 10), Georgia Tech 44 (Lawal 11).
Assists—North Carolina 10 (Drew II 3), Georgia Tech 14 (Shumpert 4).
Blocked shots—North Carolina 4 (Henson 4), Georgia Tech 4 (Sheehan, Rice Jr., Oliver, Lawal).
Turnovers—North Carolina 19 (Drew II 8), Georgia Tech 20 (Favors 4).
Steals—North Carolina 8 (Strickland 3), Georgia Tech 9 (Udofia 3).
Total fouls—North Carolina 19, Georgia Tech 20.
A—9,191.
Officials—Bryan Kersey, Gary Maxwell, John Cahill.