Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Basketball: Armando Bacot in rare company with performance against Virginia

By Zack Pearson

CHAPEL HILL, NC - DECEMBER 21: Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on during a game against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Dean E. Smith Center on December 21, 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - DECEMBER 21: Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on during a game against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Dean E. Smith Center on December 21, 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Saturday’s win over Virginia ended a seven-game losing streak to the Cavaliers for the UNC basketball program and it also put Armando Bacot into some elite company.

The junior had a career night scoring 29 points and grabbing 22 rebounds in the 74-58 win to move the Tar Heels to 3-1 in conference play. Bacot dominated from start to finish and was just too much for the Cavaliers inside. He recorded his 11th double-double of the year and his sixth-straight as he’s in a monster stretch right now in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

With his big performance, Bacot became just the second layer in UNC history to record 20 or more rebounds in the Smith Center, joining Sean May who has done it three times The building opened up in 1986 and with the history that the program has, this is a pretty awesome stat for Bacot.

What makes it even cooler is that May is on UNC’s staff this season and got to see Bacot do it right there in front of him. Bacot does get to learn from May every single day and I’m sure the coach is proud that Bacot joined him in that stat.

Bacot is also the first player to have a 20-point and 20-rebound game against Virginia since Tim Duncan did it on February 25th, 1997.

https://twitter.com/overtime/status/1479922705268891658

It’s safe to say that Bacot is playing the best basketball of his college career thus far and the strides he’s made since arriving on campus a few years ago are huge. He’s really improved his game both offensively and defensively and is undoubtedly UNC’s best player on this roster.

With the stretch that Bacot is having, he’s positioned himself into the talks for being the conference Player of the Year. Now, let’s see how long he can keep this dominant run going.

Next. Armando Bacot cannot be stopped. dark

For more on Bacot and this UNC team, please check back with Keeping it Heel.

Home/UNC Basketball