UNC Basketball: Armando Bacot expected to make strides in 2020

Armando Bacot, UNC basketball program expected to make strides in 2020

North Carolina’s Armando Bacot put together an inconsistent, but promising freshman campaign for the 2019-20 Tar Heels. Despite being on one of the worst UNC squads in history, and battling through injury for much of the season, Bacot averaged 9.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. He was third on the team in points scored, fourth in points per game, second in rebounding and first in blocked shots.

Bacot’s 264 rebounds were just eight shy of Garrison Brooks’ team-leading 272, and his 782 minutes played were more than anyone but Brooks and Leaky Black. And while he did struggle to shoot with consistency — 46.9 percent from the floor, and 64.5 percent from the free throw line — and protect the basketball in the low post, he showed signs of improvement with both toward the end of the season.

With a year of Roy Williams’ complex and fast-paced system under his belt, Bacot’s sophomore season is almost sure to be better than his freshman. It’s something we’ve seen with UNC bigs over the past 15 years, and something we expect to happen with Bacot as well. So, too, does Rivals’ Dan McDonald, who named Bacot as the sophomore that he sees making the biggest jump forward in 2020.

"“Armando Bacot feels like a good choice here,” McDonald writes. “An injury during his freshman season combined with being on a team that could never find its way made for a tough freshman year for the former five-star prospect. The Tar Heels will make a big jump back toward the top of the ACC this season and he’ll play a big part in it.”"

I wouldn’t necessarily expect Bacot to see substantially more playing time this season thanks to an absolutely loaded front court that welcomes in two 5-star freshman bigs. I would, however, expect increased efficiency with the ball in his hands, and when finishing around the rim. He and Brooks should form one of the best one-two punches in all of college basketball, giving Caleb Love and the young core of UNC guards a pair of terrific targets in the low post.

Don’t be surprised if Bacot flirts with a double-double this season. Despite having to split time with a myriad of talented big men, he tends to get his hands on a lot of rebounds. And a slight increase in shooting percentage will see his points per game soar safely into double digits.

Stick with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on Armando Bacot, and the UNC basketball program.