Local election season may be over, but Armando Bacot could still run a compelling campaign for mayor of Chapel Hill.
The junior big man put together the best game of his career Saturday against Virginia, pouring in 29 points and grabbing 21 rebounds (both career-highs) in a 74-58 win over the Cavaliers, Carolina’s first in the series since 2017. Bacot is the first Tar Heel to record a 20-20 stat line since Brice Johnson did so with 39 points and 23 rebounds in 2016.
𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐍.#CarolinaFamily | @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/tKjh9QFyeK
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) January 8, 2022
In addition, Bacot has now recorded 11 double-doubles this season, which ranks second in the nation. He’s also the first Tar Heel to put up consecutive games of 20+ points and 15+ rebounds since Tyler Hansbrough.
“It’s just great being in the same conversation as Tyler Hansbrough, in general,” Bacot said. “Growing up as a kid, watching college basketball, seeing him play, it’s something you never would’ve really imagined or think you could do.”
Bacot was so dominant Saturday, he may have even surprised himself.
“I really didn’t know what it was gonna be,” he said. “I told my teammates, ‘I can be the best screener or whatever,’ but I was just gonna go out there and play hard and do my best to help us win. But I would be lying if I said I expected to play this good this game.”
UNC’s 74 points scored against the Cavaliers were also the program’s most in the series since 2016, and its most in a win since 2013. Aiding Bacot in the scoring department were sophomore guard Caleb Love with 16 points and graduate forward Brady Manek with 19 points on five three-pointers. Manek once again started in place of the injured Dawson Garcia, who suffered a concussion against Boston College and missed his second straight game.
Apart from the trio of Bacot, Love and Manek, no other Tar Heel scored more than five points.
Against Virginia’s pack-line defense, Carolina limited turnovers with efficient ball movement. Love, in particular, played an impressive game by logging 38 minutes and committing just one turnover. His backcourt mate R.J. Davis committed none. It’s Davis’ first turnover-free game this season.
“Virginia likes to play that slow pace, so we just had to value each possession down the floor,” Love said. “Really, it was Mando down low, and Brady stretching the floor out, so they couldn’t really guard any of us.”
“One of the things we talk about all the time is, ‘Make the easy play. Take care of the basketball,’ head coach Hubert Davis said. “And that we don’t need home runs, we just need singles.”
Back in front of a home crowd for the first time since December 21, Carolina showcased the intensity which had been sorely lacking in the team’s loss at Notre Dame Wednesday night. A seven-day layoff before the next scheduled game looms, as UNC won’t take the court again until Saturday, January 15 against Georgia Tech in the Smith Center. The extended break will challenge the team to find the consistency which has evaded it this season.
“In the locker room after the game, I said [to the players], ‘One of the things that you should be really encouraged by… is that you guys have experienced the benefit of playing with energy, effort and toughness,'” Davis said. “And so that should be an encouragement, and also a motivation to continue to have that feeling. It all starts with preparation and practice, and I’m looking forward to getting back to that next week.”
Still, despite his team-first attitude, even Davis couldn’t hide his awe of Bacot’s performance.
“I know he played a really good game, but when I saw the stat sheet, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh!'” he said. “That’s the best performance I’ve seen [from] anybody against Virginia that I can remember.”
Featured image via Todd Melet. For a photo gallery of the game, click here.
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