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CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina junior forward Armando Bacot met with the media Friday afternoon in advance of the Tar Heels’ game at NC State on Saturday to discuss the Wolfpack, his own adjustments to teams defending him differently of late, and much more.
Above is the full video of Bacot’s Q&A session, and below are some notes and pulled quotes from what he had to say:
*Bacot leads the ACC in rebounding averaging 14.1 boards in conference games. Overall, he he’s averaging 15.9 points and 12.3 rebounds. Bacot has registered 21 double-doubles on the season, and seven times has grabbed at least 15 rebounds. Only two UNC players (Billy Cunningham and Doug Moe) have done that in the same season, and it occurred nearly than 60 years ago.
Bacot doesn’t really know any specifics as to why he is such a prolific rebounder, but he did try to explain why his numbers are up as much as they are.
“I don’t know if there’s anything I can really point to,” Bacot said. “I just have a good knack for the ball, and it’s something I’ve been doing my whole life. I would say now, with us not having Day’Ron (Sharpe), like a Walker (Kessler), and Garrison (Brooks), there’s been a lot more opportunities to get more rebounds.
“We take a lot of jump shots, and so there’s a lot of opportunities to get long rebounds. I like extending because it’s another chance to score the ball. And also, getting defensive rebounds, teams don’t have a chance to score the ball.”
*Bacot has not attempted double-digit shots in each of UNC’s last four games. Only seven times prior to that stretch had it occurred, and once was when he was in foul trouble all game versus Purdue and played just 17 minutes. Another time was in a rout, and four other occasions he was right at nine field goal attempts before this four-game stretch.
Teams are defending him different than before, something that started after Bacot went for 29 points in a win over Virginia on Jan. 8. Since then, he has scored 20-plus points just twice: The following weeks versus Georgia Tech; and Feb. 8 at Clemson.
“Teams throw so many different looks,” Bacot said. “For instance, when we played Pittsburgh, the second half they double-teamed me, but first half they were kind of just fronting me and shrinking the floor.
“So, teams (are) kind of mix up the things they’re throwing at me. They really don’t do it for any other player in the ACC, so it’s kind of hard to watch film and see and know what’s going to happen. That’s been tough for me, (there are) other ways I try to get myself going offensively swinging and rolling, and also just getting some offensive rebounds, and things like that to impact the game in those ways.”
*Bacot has learned how to better handle being double-teamed, especially in how he dribbles out of them and finds open teammates. In six games this season, Bacot had handed out three or more assists, and 12 times he’s had multiple assists in a game. Last season as a sophomore, just once Bacot reached the three-assist mark.
Working with Sean May on dribbling out of double-teams has helped Bacot’s growth in this area a great deal. And what does he look for when dribbling out of a double-team?
“That’s something I’ve worked on with Coach May a lot, more in the beginning of the season as my production got a lot better,” Bacot said. “We kind of knew those situations would come.
“I try to look opposite when I first get the ball, because I know a lot of the times a double-team is coming from the weak side, more on the baseline, because that’s where I like to go, too. So, I’m always looking opposite corner or to that opposite wing, because that’s usually a pass you want to get to out of the double-team.
“And being patient, too. That’s a huge thing in the double-team. Don’t just automatically dribble out, because that’s what the defense wants. Holding my ground, surveying the floor, and then figuring out what play to make.”
*Carolina ventures over the PNC Arena on Saturday to face the Wolfpack, which the Heels beat by 20 last month in Chapel Hill. They led by 35 at one point in the second half of that game. But as much as the players have experienced some hostile road environments, most decently at Virginia Tech, the sophomores and other newcomers haven’t experienced the vitriol and creativity they will see and hear from NC State fans. Bacot, however, has.
“Me, Leaky (Black), Ant (Anthony Harris), and Ryan (McAdoo), are the only guys that have really had a chance to play at NC State (pre-COVID). I told the guys it’s going to be a hostile environment (and), ‘Don’t really worry about what any of the fans or anybody says to you, because when you go there, it’s always tough remarks you hear from people.
“But, it’s a lot of fun, and that’s what you sign up for when you come to UNC, is having a chance to play in those crazy environments. It will be a lot of fun. The first game we handled them pretty well, so I know they’ll come fired up at NC State, and the fans will be, too.
“So, we’ve just gotta come ready to play.”
