Tag: Armando Bacot

Hubert Davis holds his head high during Monday meetings

Just how much does UNC head coach Hubert Davis love his players? Read the quote – in this article – from Monday’s team meetings to find out.

How the UNC basketball season ended was pretty tough, but considering how North Carolina missed the NCAA Tournament entirely last year, you could call the 2023-2024 campaign a success.

The Tar Heels earned the West Region’s top seed, won games against Wagner and Michigan State, then lost a heartbreaker to Alabama in which very little went right late.

One area I was impressed with most is coaching. UNC head coach Hubert Davis came under some fire last year for not using his bench, then figured out how to effectively utilize his extras this season.

In short, we learned Hubert was a good coach who knows how to connect with his players. That was particularly evident in team meetings Monday via Inside Carolina:

“I want to know how the year has gone,” Davis said. “As the season ends, just to catch up and just see how the year went for them. Anything that they liked, things that they didn’t like, my expectations early on of what I expect coming back next and what I want it to look like. Those conversations were really good today (Monday). It was a lot of fun.”

Hubert doesn’t just treat his players like employees, but as they were his own sons. You watched that firsthand during games, with cameras consistently showing Hubert encouraging his players in huddles or at the scorer’s table.

While Hubert won’t have the likes of Armando Bacot next year, his fourth season as head coach could be bolstered if RJ Davis decides to return.

I can’t wait to see how much further Hubert grows in Year Four.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

WATCH: Cormac Ryan stands up for RJ Davis and Armando Bacot

Watch Cormac Ryan stand up for RJ Davis and Armando Bacot during the presser following their March Madness loss to Alabama.

The UNC men’s basketball program season came to a bitter end, losing in heartbreak fashion to Alabama in the Sweet 16.

Everything that could’ve gone wrong for the Tar Heels did in the second half, shooting 25% (tied for third lowest in a NCAA tournament half in UNC history). UNC couldn’t buy a bucket with leader [autotag]RJ Davis[/autotag] struggling, going 4-20 from the field and 0-9 from three, the usual flame couldn’t get a spark.

Following the loss, the team met with the media in the presser, and Davis was asked about his shooting struggles. After a few pauses, Davis struggled to answer, and that is where [autotag]Cormac Ryan[/autotag] interrupted, giving a heartfelt speech about Davis and [autotag]Armando Bacot[/autotag] being the reason UNC made it to the tournament in the first place.

 

Ryan showcased leadership and echoed the truth. Davis had one of the most memorable seasons a Tar Heel ever has, proving doubters wrong one step back at a time. It’s hard to see Bacot’s career end without the championship, but his Tar Heel legacy is stamped.

There’s no telling if Davis will be back next season, but if that’s how the story ends, it will be worth the read decades from now.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

WATCH: Armando Bacot misses dunk in March Madness loss to Alabama

North Carolina’s Sweet 16 upset at the hands of Alabama included a stunning gaffe from star center Armando Bacot in the closing minutes.

North Carolina center Armando Bacot has had some great NCAA Tournament moments.

The Tar Heels star helped lead UNC to the doorstep of a national title two years ago, defeating Duke in the Final Four and averaging 16.5 rebounds per game over the Cinderella run.

Thursday’s upset loss against Alabama in the Sweet 16 included one of his lowlights.

North Carolina led the Crimson Tide by eight points at halftime but couldn’t close the door, becoming the first No. 1 seed eliminated from this year’s edition of March Madness.

Teammate RJ Davis, North Carolina’s All-American guard, had his fair share of mistakes in a 4/20 shooting performance. Bacot’s biggest gaffe was a lot more visible, however.

With less than seven minutes left in the game, Bacot went up for a two-handed dunk that would have stretched UNC’s lead to five. Instead, he did this.

What makes the small moment even worse? North Carolina lost to the Crimson Tide by two points, a final score of 89-87.

Bacot’s record-tying double-double overshadowed by UNC loss

Tim Duncan is a Wake Forest and NBA legend. Former UNC big man Armando Bacot just tied Duncan’s double-double record atop the ACC.

It wouldn’t be an end to another UNC basketball season without a disappointing loss.

At least, that’s what has been the theme in recent years.

On Thursday, March 28, North Carolina’s once-promising year ended in the Sweet 16 with an 89-87 loss against Alabama. This was a game the Tar Heels should’ve won – 8-point halftime lead, late second-half advantage even with RJ Davis’ cold night, a chance to go up by three with under a minute.

Despite missing a couple of costly shots that could’ve put the game away, including two wide-open dunks, Armando Bacot registered yet another double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

It was Bacot’s 87th career double-double, tying him with fellow ACC great and NBA Hall-of-Famer Tim Duncan.

For reference on how special this mark was, Duncan was a 5-time NBA Champion with the San Antonio Spurs. He made the NBA All-Star Team 15 times, was named All-NBA First Team 10 times and an 8-time member of the NBA All-Defensive First Team.

It’s going to be weird not seeing Bacot in a UNC uniform next season, but I have no doubt he’ll be playing elsewhere.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

North Carolina bounced by Alabama in the Sweet 16

North Carolina became the first No. 1 seed eliminated from the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night with an 89-87 loss to Alabama.

The North Carolina Tar Heels have been eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.

The top-seeded Tar Heels lost to No. 4 Alabama 89-87 in the Sweet 16 on Thursday evening.

The defeat made UNC the first No. 1 seed eliminated in March Madness this year, as all four top teams made it through opening weekend.

The Crimson Tide operate around an up-tempo, high-octane offense, but North Carolina managed to keep up through the first half. The Tar Heels took a 54-46 lead into the halftime break as different UNC players stepped up early.

However, the advantage continued to dwindle throughout the second half. Alabama’s Grant Nelson made a layup to cut the lead to three with 15 minutes left, and he buried two free throws half a minute later to pull within one. A 3-pointer from teammate Sam Walters gave the Tide the lead with 13:56 left on the clock.

North Carolina pulled ahead again, rattling off a quick 9-1 run to lead by six points with 8:46 left. Cormac Ryan, the fifth-year senior who haunted the Blue Devils in Durham earlier this month, buried a triple to make it a five-point game with 6:20 on the clock. It felt like Alabama couldn’t chew far enough into the lead, and the Tar Heels looked assured of a place in the Elite Eight.

But the Tide roared back again. Aaron Estrada made back-to-back baskets, one of them from behind the 3-point line, to knot the game at 75 points apiece. Nelson made a go-ahead layup with 4:24 to play, but his true dagger came late.

With less than a minute to play and UNC leading by a single point, Nelson fought through a foul for an and-one basket. The ensuing free throw game the Crimson Tide a two-point lead, and when North Carolina couldn’t score on its next possession, the finality set in.

UNC couldn’t survive its second-half offensive struggles. After scoring more than 50 points in the first 20 minutes, the Tar Heels managed just 33 points after the break. The team shot 25% from the floor in the second half, its worst 20-minute tournament performance in more than a decade, capitalized by this unfortunate sequence from center Armando Bacot.

RJ Davis, the All-American North Carolina guard, finished with 16 points on 4/20 shooting, and he missed all nine of his 3-point attempts. Star freshman guard Elliot Cadeau finished with eight points on 3/9 shooting, and Bacot put up 19 points and 12 rebounds in his final game.

Alabama advances to play Clemson, the region’s No. 6 seed, in the Elite Eight.

Nate Oats says Alabama won’t be ‘intimidated’ by Armando Bacot

Nate Oats and Alabama aren’t going to back down from UNC basketball star Armando Bacot in the Sweet 16 matchup.

When North Carolina and Alabama square off on Thursday night in Los Angeles, fifth-year senior Armando Bacot will likely play a big role in the game’s final outcome.

Bacot has put together another big year for the Tar Heels, earning All-ACC honors and playing well both on offense and defense. In the win over Michigan State, Bacot came alive in that first half and although he had his streak of seven-straight NCAA Tournament games with a double-double snapped, he played a huge role in that outcome.

But Alabama doesn’t appear to be intimidated by Bacot and Nate Oats is adding some fuel to that fire.

During an appearance on The Paul Finebaum Show, Oats revealed that his team won’t back down from Bacot at all. They have faced big men before and Bacot is just next in line.

“The good thing with us is we’ve played three really good nonconference teams back-to-back-to-back that all had really good post players. And they’re all in the Sweet 16,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said Tuesday on The Paul Finebaum Show. “We also played Clemson, who had PJ Hall.”

“So Carolina’s got Armando Bacot. We’ve been in these games. Now we went 0-4 in those four games, but we’ve played guys like this. We’ve been in them. We were up nine in the second half on Purdue, whose got the best big in the country. So it’s not like we’re going to be intimidated by Bacot.”

This should be a high-scoring and fast-paced game, so if Alabama wants to win they are going to have to slow down UNC from the three-point line and find a way to limit Bacot as well. Easier said than done, however.

Let’s hope Bacot finds a way to be a game-changer and lead UNC to a big win.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Armando Bacot reveals the spark in March Madness’ win over Michigan State

Armando Bacot explains where the spark came from after being down double digits in UNC’s March Madness win over Michigan State.

The UNC men’s basketball program has had a fruitful March Madness thus far, taking down Michigan State to advance to the Sweet 16.

One of the players leading the charge is [autotag]Armando Bacot[/autotag], who played a significant role in the Tar Heels March Madness run two seasons ago. In the win against Michigan State, Bacot poured in 18 points, marking the eighth time in as many NCAA tournament games he has scored in double digits.

The ending score screamed dominance, but that was far from the truth if you account for how the game started. It was UNC, who was behind double-digits early. Thankfully for Tar Heel fans, a spark happened. Following the game, Bacot met with the media to discuss that spark.

“I’ve been saying all year how deep of a team we are… Paxson (Wojcik), I mean he started that run, and without him, we don’t get that lead, especially early on,” Bacot said. “For him to go out there versus his dad’s team and make those huge plays, and that unselfish play where he had the layup and threw it out to RJ. It was kinda something like the Warriors we do…It got us going and the crowd going.”

In the win, Bacot tacked on seven rebounds, which ended his streak of NCAA tournament games with 15 rebounds or more. It was another solid outing by the Tar Heel fan favorite, and following the game, he reminded everyone that he predicted the program would be traveling to LA for the Sweet 16.

If the Tar Heels want to continue their run in the NCAA Tournament, not only will Bacot be important but the depth of UNC as well. If they can get consistent play from the bench, they will be a hard team to beat.

 

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Armando Bacot’s double-double vs. Wagner ties him with two NBA legends

UNC big man Armando Bacot has awoken just in time for the NCAA Tournament, grabbing a historical double-double against Wagner on Thursday.

The North Carolina Tar Heels played to their true billing as a top seed in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, dominating Wagner in a 90-62 victory.

The Seahawks (17-16) gave UNC a good test early, staying within single-digits until there were three minutes left in the opening half. This tends to happen early in games, regardless of the matchup, as teams are rusty from not playing for several days.

North Carolina received scoring contributions from nearly everyone, led by double-digit outings from RJ Davis (game-high 22 points), Armando Bacot (20) and Jae’Lyn Withers (16). Bacot added 15 rebounds, notching career double-double 86 and moving one away from tying Tim Duncan atop the ACC list.

Not only is Bacot nearing Duncan’s double-doubles mark, but he also tied Duncan and fellow Hall-of-Famer Hakeem Olajuwon with his seventh-consecutive double-double in the Big Dance.

This is pretty impressive company for another UNC all-time great to be in. Bacot has been a double-double machine this year, recording one in 18 games, including the past five.

The Tar Heels will need this type of production from their best forward, particularly as they advance deeper in the Big Dance. When North Carolina needs its stars to deliver in the clutch, Bacot has proven he can do so.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Armando Bacot passes Phil Ford on UNC all-time scoring list

UNC basketball center Armando Bacot pased Phil Ford on the program’s all-time scoring list, now second overall.

Armando Bacot continues to climb the University of North Carolina record books.

During North Carolina’s opening game of the NCAA Tournament against Wagner, Bacot moved past UNC great Phil Ford on the all-time scoring list, holding No. 2 now. Bacot passed Ford’s 2,290-point mark during the first half as he’s had a very active first half with already double-digit rebounds in the game.

The fifth-year center has been a staple for the Tar Heels since arriving on campus back in 2019. He used his extra Covid-19 year and is hoping to lead the Tar Heels to a deep run in the NCAA Tournament as he did two years ago.

By moving up the list, Bacot now trails only Tyler Hansbrough who has 2,872 points. With no more eligibility, it’s safe to say that Hansbrough’s record will stand this year and likely for a long time.

Bacot is already UNC’s all-time leading rebounder and player with the most double-doubles in program history. So he will leave the program at least leading in those two categories.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

The 20 all-time leading scorers in the history of UNC men’s basketball

The all-time leading scorers in UNC basketball history including Michael Jordan, Tyler Hansbrough, Phil Ford and more.

The University of North Carolina has a rich basketball history. The program has been home to legends of the game over the years with names like Phil Ford, Lennie Rosenbluth, Michael Jordan and Tyler Hansbrough all wearing that Carolina Blue.

To be in the record books as a player at North Carolina has significant meaning as you’re up there with some of the best to play the game.

Over the years, the Tar Heels have seen some prolific scorers come through the program and establish their dominance in the Atlantic Coast Conference as well as all of college basketball. And this year is no different for the program.

With Armando Bacot and RJ Davis both having impressive seasons again, it was time to update the program’s all-time scoring leaders list. A list that includes both Bacot and Davis as well as other standouts that have played in Chapel Hill.

Let’s take a look at the UNC basketball program’s all-time leading scorers list, updated here in 2024 as the season goes on. You will see some familiar names and maybe even some surprises as to where players are ranked on this list after successful careers.