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UNC Basketball: Armando Bacot battles through knee injury

By Nick Delahanty

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 5: Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels attempts a shot as Samson Johnson #35 of the Connecticut Huskies defends during the first half of a game in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden on December 5, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 5: Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels attempts a shot as Samson Johnson #35 of the Connecticut Huskies defends during the first half of a game in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden on December 5, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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Armando Bacot suffered a knee injury during the UNC basketball program’s loss against UConn. How concerned should we be regarding the injury?

The early portion of the Jimmy V. Classic was dominated by Armando Bacot.

North Carolina’s star big man scored six of the UNC basketball program’s first eight points as he looked to be in line for another big performance.

However, that wasn’t the case.

After making one of two free throw attempts with 12:30 left in the first half, Bacot subbed out of the game in what appeared to be a regular break for him. When he got to the bench, he was met by Assistant Coach Sean May and Head Athletic Trainer Doug Halverson, as Bacot appeared to have suffered a lower-body injury.

Bacot returned to the game, finishing the night with 35 minutes played, but scored just six points the rest of the way, as UConn also held him to no points over the final 19:34 minutes of the second half.

Once the game concluded, Bacot spoke to the media and explained what had happened.

"“At the beginning of the game, I shot a free throw, and I went to bend and, I don’t know, I don’t want to say it was a pop but I felt something in my knee. And then really the whole game I felt that I just didn’t have that pop anymore. It was definitely tough on me.”“It was weird, too, because I just really don’t know why I have it. But (I) definitely felt it, too, when on the free throw line when I going to get in that bending motion, not really being able to bend my knees.”"

Bacot didn’t seem too concerned about the injury, citing that the UNC basketball program has 10 days until they take the court against Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic. Although the Tar Heels big man seems to think the injury isn’t serious, it will be something to monitor leading up to North Carolina’s trip to Atlanta.

Next. UNC Basketball takeaways from the Jimmy V Classic. dark

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