Let’s take the good news first, followed by some sobering info.
Armando Bacot has become UNC’s all-time leader in double double games. With 61 of double-figure scoring and double-figure rebounds, Bacot surpassed Billy Cunningham’s previous Carolina high of 60 in Saturday’s 80-69 win over N.C. State before a packed house that was wild for most of the late afternoon matinee.
It is actually apples and oranges with Cunningham, who played only three varsity seasons in his day of no freshman eligibility and shorter schedules (plus, UNC did not make the post-season in his career). The Kangaroo Kid played in 69 games compared to the 119 Bacot has played halfway through his senior year.
Mondo’s 61 DDs tied Clemson’s Tree Rollins for seventh in the ACC annals and is a shoo-in to pass Duke’s Mike Gminski (63), Wake Forest Len Chappell (66 in three seasons), N.C. State’s Tom Burleson (67) and State’s Ronnie Shavlik (68, three seasons). And with the absolute maximum of 22 games left as a senior, Bacot cannot catch Virginia’s Ralph Sampson (84) and Wake’s Tim Duncan (87) UNLESS, of course, he elects to play a fifth “COVID season” in 2023-24.
The new rebounding record (1,221) is apples vs. apples because it took AB only half his senior campaign to surpass Tyler Hansbrough, who was also a four-year starter and pulled down 1,219 caroms. Barring an injury, Bacot will surely catch Gminski (1,242) and fellow Dukie Shelden Williams (1,262) and likely Rollins (1,311), but not the top four of Sampson (1,511), Duncan (1,570), Shavlik (1,598) and Wake Forest 6-foot-6, 220-pound beast Dickie Hemric, who corralled 1,802 in four years, the first of which was played as a freshman in the old Southern Conference.
Thanks to Steve Kirschner’s meticulous post-game notes, this was Bacot’s fourth career double-double against the Wolfpack, one short of his five against Virginia Tech, the most against any opponent. He also has double doubles against 31 different teams. His 18 boards against State equaled his own and Cunningham’s high versus the Pack. It was also Bacot’s 20th career game with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds and his 10th career game of at least 18 rebounds, his 22nd with at least 15 and 68th with 10 or more. He has 50 rebounds in the last three games (16 at Louisville, 16 vs. BC and 18 vs. State) – all on a sprained left ankle!
“I don’t know how to describe Armando,” Hubert Davis said. “When you pass Billy Cunningham and Tyler Hansbrough, you’re doing something pretty good. He’s somebody who plays hard, not only for himself but also for his team and this program. Rebounding is just huge, look at the names he has passed, and we’re just halfway through the season. He’s got some more rebounds to go.”
The game, which moved Carolina into a five-way tie for third place in the ACC with a 6-3 record (14-6 overall), marked the continued emergence of R.J. Davis as the Tar Heels’ second-best player and most versatile. The 6-foot Energizer Bunny led all scorers with 26 points, making UNC 10-0 over the last three years when Davis scores at least 20. Besides going 5-for-8 from the floor, including 2-of-4 from outside, Davis made all 14 of his free throws on a day when the team went 36-for-39, a school record for at least 30 attempts. Only York Larese (21) in 1959 and Phil Ford (16) in 1976 were more perfect from the line. Davis, who leads the ACC in foul shooting (90 percent), joins Cole Anthony in 2020 and Hansbrough in 2006 going 14-of-14 in a game.
For historical context, Davis moved into 71st place on Carolina’s all-time scoring list, passing Dante Calabria, who happened to be part of the halftime ceremony celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 1993 NCAA championship team, Dean Smith’s second of two such titles. Calabria was a freshman on that team.
In another uneven performance, Caleb Love scored 16 points despite missing 11 of his 14 shots, but he did can 9 of 10 from the foul line. And in his 38 minutes and for the third time this season, Love was the team-high with UNC a plus-17 points during his time on the court.
In a high-voltage game, the Heels committed a season-low of seven turnovers, but also had only five assists, which could also be a sign of shooting too quickly and hitting only 37 percent from the floor. State had trouble stopping their drives and dominating the boards (42-27) and was called for 27 fouls, which led to coach Kevin Keatts saying his team had “to be more aggressive” for getting to the foul line only 12 times.
Keatts, of course, was most upset about his sophomore star Terquavion Smith getting knocked out of the game after a mid-air collision when Leaky Black tried to block his shot. Smith, the Wolfpack’s and ACC’s leading scorer, hit the deck hard and was stretchered off the floor with reported neck and elbow injuries.
“I hope he’s just a little hurt, not injured,” Hubert Davis said. “Terquavion is such an unbelievable kid and player, and we’re all thinking about him.”
The play ended with a dangerous fall but, in realty, was a common foul, 2 shots in the act of shooting, and did not warrant Black’s ejection for a flagrant 2. The flagrant 1 on State was deserved for retaliating with an elbow to Love’s chops.
State led by eight points early and stayed in the game until turning ice cold from the 3-point line in the second half, missing all nine attempts, six whiffs by Jarkel Joiner, who otherwise had 18 points. Burly 275-pound center D.J. Burns engaged in a sort-of Sumo wrestling match all afternoon with Bacot, banging him toward the basket where he made 8 of 13 lefthanded shots to also finish with 18.
The sellout crowd was the best of the season, especially since the usual horde of red-clad State fans did not find their way into the Dean Dome, even though the Wolfpack’s season had gotten off to such a great start. You knew they weren’t there when the National Anthem by the UNC Pep Band ended as it should, respectfully, and not with State fans yelling their lyrics to “. . . Home of the WOLF-PACK.”
It certainly wasn’t after their 37th loss to the Tar Heels in their last 42 games. The rematch in Raleigh is Sunday, February 19. With or without Smith, they will be ready for a second chance.
Featured image via Todd Melet
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Bacot is a real beast that very few can play with. He is also a 4 year player, a true student athlete. He should be honored for his commitment to Carolina as much as his accomplishments on the court.