Editor’s Note: An incorrect report from NCAA March Madness initially listed Armando Bacot as one of five finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award. That report was made in error, and an amended group of finalists was published Friday afternoon.

 

UNC junior forward Armando Bacot has his sights set on breaking the school’s single-season double-double record this weekend at Duke, but the big man won’t be taking home any national hardware this season. Bacot, who was named to the watch list for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award this season, missed the cut to be one of five finalists for the honor. The award is given to the nation’s best center.

The group of finalists is a veritable who’s who of elite big men around the nation. Auburn star and former Tar Heel Walker Kessler is a finalist. Kessler currently leads the nation in blocks per game. Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe is one of the only players in the country ahead of Bacot in rebounding, with 15.3 per game. Drew Timme of Gonzaga, Kofi Cockburn of Illinois and Adama Sanogo of Connecticut round out the quintet.

Bacot has blossomed into a star for Carolina this season. He leads the ACC and is third in the country in rebounding with 12.7 boards per game. He is the only player in the conference to average a double-double, and has recorded 23 such stat lines this season. Bacot’s field goal percentage of 58.5 is also best in the conference. He’s scored 20 or more points nine times this season, after doing so only five times his first two seasons combined. Bacot set a career-high with back-to-back 29-point performances against Virginia and Georgia Tech in January.

 

Featured image via Todd Melet

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