espnW Women's Basketball

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -- Georgia Tech played the nation's No. 1 and No. 2 women's basketball teams in two of its last three games and didn't see much difference -- both looked like onrushing trains to the decimated Yellow Jackets.

Reserve Alex Miller scored 15 points, Ivory Latta added 14 and No. 2 North Carolina held Georgia Tech to its lowest score ever, beating the Yellow Jackets 78-31 Thursday night. No. 1 Duke crushed Georgia Tech 83-51 on Jan. 10.

"We've had close looks now at the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country, and I don't see much of a difference," Georgia Tech coach MaChelle Joseph said. "When those two play, it's going to be a war."

Camille Little added 12 and Jessica Breland 10 for the Tar Heels (21-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who host the Blue Devils on Feb. 8.

Thursday's win was also North Carolina's largest margin of victory ever over an ACC opponent.

"We make people hurry their shots," North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell said. "We take people out of their comfort zone, and, hopefully fatigue eventually sets in."

Georgia Tech (11-7, 2-3) was 11-of-59 from the field (18.6 percent). The Yellow Jackets hit just eight of their first 36 shots and had more turnovers (13) than field goals in the first half.

Georgia Tech went 8:28 without a basket in the second half and made only one field goal in the last 14:24. North Carolina closed the game by outscoring the Yellow Jackets 24-7.

When the teams met Jan. 4 in Atlanta, North Carolina trailed the entire first half before getting out with a 69-57 win. Hatchell emphasized getting off to a fast start in pregame talks Thursday, but didn't see what see wanted.

"We didn't start off like we wanted to, but we built up to it," Hatchell said.

North Carolina led 33-16 at the half. The Tar Heels hit 12 of their first 17 shots in the second half and finished 29-of-62 from the field.

Miller scored 11 points in the game's final 14:57 to lead North Carolina's second half surge.

Reserve Jacqua Williams finished with 11 for the Yellow Jackets, who had no starter with more than four points.

"We score by attacking the rim, and we couldn't get to the rim tonight," Joseph said.

Georgia Tech was without 6-foot co-captain Janine Mitchell, the team's leading rebounder (6.7) and third-leading scorer (13.4) before injuring her knee Jan. 4.

"Missing Janine makes a real difference," Joseph said. "It's going to be a real challenge to win or even to compete at the highest level without her."

Georgia Tech tried to pack the lanes, but got burned from outside when Latta went 4-for-6 from 3-point range to account for her 12 first-half points. She hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to key an early 17-4 run.