Roy Williams wanted toughness from his team at Georgia Tech. I don't think his wish came true in Tech's 84-77 win, which knocks the Heels out of first place in the ACC with a game to play.

Carolina was not tough enough to outmuscle Tech last night in Atlanta. They also allowed the Jackets to shoot 62 percent in the first half and 52 percent for the game.

In one first-half stretch, the Yellow Jackets, fighting for their NCAA Tournament lives, made 17 of 18 field goal attempts. They were raining three pointers. Javaris Crittenton was blowing by defenders like they were nailed to the floor.

"Everytime I looked up they were making shots," Roy Williams said. "We weren't there.'

Yes, Carolina seemed a step slow defensively. Williams said the team's defense in the first half was especially bad and he's right about that. It seemed like Tech players had open looks inside almost at will.

"There are things we could've done better defensively," said Tyler Hansbrough who did his best with 16 points and 10 rebounds. "We have to retaliate better."

For a second straight game, Carolina couldn't retaliate and now the team finds itself in a position that not many imagined.

Carolina is good when they can run.Going up and down, they seem so comfortable. They're not so good offensively when forced into the halfcourt and more half-court situations is what you see at this time of the season.

Plus, Roy Williams hates defensive breakdowns, but they keep happening.

Still, it wasn't like the Tar Heels gave up. They didn't. They shot 49 percent and they were right there at the end, but they couldn't fight through a group of swarming Yellow Jackets whose will was stronger than the Tar Heels.

"We kept talking to one another," said the Jackets' Thaddeus Young, who had 25 points."We let each other know that if we kept fighting out there we could win the game."

Carolina just about everybody's pick to win the ACC is now in a three-way tie for second with a 10-5 conference record. Virginia -- Yes, Virginia -- now leads the conference and if they can win at lowly Wake Forest on Saturday, the Cavaliers are the ACC regular season champions.

The Tar Heels' young and talented basketball team is reeling. You get the sense that everybody is frustrated -- coaches and players.

Carolina is just 4-4 in their last eight games. It's not what a championship-calibre team wants at this time of the season.

The Tar Heels are at the crossroads of their season. Do they remain frustrated or do they really start to show the toughness that so far has been just talk? I would expect that they'll fight back. The potential is still there, but what about the passion?

Time is running out.