March Madness: Armando Bacot among top 25 tournament players

Armando Bacot of the UNC basketball program is viewed as a top 25 player in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

This year’s NCAA Tournament is underway, as the play-in games have started to help officially set the field of 64 teams.

As the first-round games are scheduled to begin on Thursday, 247 Sports released their rankings of the top 25 individual players in the tournament. To no surprise, the UNC basketball program is represented on the list.

Junior big man Armando Bacot was ranked by 247 Sports’ Isaac Trotter as the No. 18 ranked player on the list. The Richmond, Virginia native joins Paolo Banchero of Duke as the only two ACC players to make the cut.

Here’s what Trotter had to say regarding Bacot:

"Bacot is one of the most intimidating rebounders in the country, but he’s more than just a glass cleaner. Bacot was one of the best players in the ACC this year thanks to a very polished offensive attack. Bacot was patient and took the shots he was really good at. He struggles with left-baseline jumpers, so he didn’t take them often (1-for-4). But he’s awesome on right-baseline jumpers, so he took plenty of them (14-for-28). That’s smart basketball. Bacot has the chance to be the best player on the floor every time he steps onto the hardwood."

Bacot put together a tremendous season for the UNC basketball program, as he continues to re-write the record books.  Although he got robbed of the ACC Player of the Year Award (and was disrespected in the All America team voting), his outstanding campaign should not be left unnoticed.

Of course, Bacot and the Tar Heels have unfinished business, as they hope to make a deep run in this year’s NCAA Tournament. Their journey begins on Thursday afternoon, as they’ll take on Marquette in their first-round matchup.

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