CHAPEL HILL – Inconsistent might be the best way to describe Armando Bacot’s freshman year sprinkled in with a need for more maturity. Neither were lost on the North Carolina forward when he embarked on changing his game and approach in the offseason.

Bacot turned in some terrific performances during his inaugural campaign at UNC, but they were always accompanied by a string of not-so-terrific stretch.

At one point in early January, he even admitted to fighting off a voice of negativity in his head that hampered the 6-foot-10 Richmond, VA, native during a three-week period begining with a home loss to Wofford past New carrying just past New Year’s.

The only thoughts dancing through his mind these days are positive and feed him fuel for more improvement. Bacot is much more mature eight games into his sophomore season, and as a result he’s playing at a high level,. So perhaps “consistent” best characterizes him right now.

“I think he’s more serious about the game,” UNC Coach Roy Williams said. “His work ethic is better, his workouts are better. What he’s doing with the team, he sees the big picture, and I think that comes from maturity on both the offensive and defensive end… I just think everything about him is more serious right now.”

More serious isn’t something that sparked over the last month, it’s a process that began when last season ended. Bacot spent time this past summer in St. Louis working out with then-incoming freshman Caleb Love and also put in quite a bit of time with former Tar Heel and NBA veteran Ed Davis, who is also from the Richmond area.

So by the time the season started, Bacot was different. As Williams noted, his body, his mind and his hoops soul were different from the player who often allowed a negative play on one end to carry onto the other end of the court, effectively hampering him for two or more plays instead of just one.

A statistically solid freshman season in which he averaged 9.6 points, shooting 46.9 percent, and 8.3 rebounds has been pushed aside for a sophomore campaign in which Bacot leads the Tar Heels with 12.1 points per game on 74.5 percent shooting while also pulling down 8.4 rebounds per game.

Yet, he’s fifth on the team in shot attempts with just 47 and is actually playing a tad less (23.6 minutes per game) than a year ago (24.4). Having a more gifted and deeper front court this season explains that number. But his impact has been obvious.

“He’s having a heck of a year for us,” Williams said, following UNC’s loss at NC State, a game in which Bacot scored 16 points on 7 of 9 shooting, his seventh time in double figures in 5-3 Carolina’s eight contests.

Bacot sees the progress.

“I feel like I’ve made strides,” he said. “Being more mature and not taking anything for (granted) and just knowing how to make playing a lot easier on myself versus not trying to force things, let things come to me.”

The maturity tone is one that came from the program. Bacot knew it a year ago and has been quite open about it since October.

Maturity fueled the offseason work ethic, not just on his game but his body, and when those two things came together the mind was just fine. That had to come first.

“He’s in better shape, he’s more athletic, he’s more mature, his body’s better, and he’s simplified his game,” Williams said. “It’s not spin left, spin right, spin left-spin right and try to shoot a shot.

“I think now he’s focusing on the rim, he’s trying to go up strong and realize how big he is and how long he is and he doesn’t have to do all the twirls and spins that he’s done in the past.”

Yet, Bacot says the best is yet to come.

He often doesn’t mince words, which can be refreshing. He let out an S-bomb following UNC’s win over Kentucky in Cleveland, and when it comes to his own game, Bacot doesn’t pull back. Confidence certainly isn’t an issue.

“I feel like I can be the best big in the country when at my best, one of the best two-way players in the country, too,” Bacot said. “I feel like I can defend all the best players and feel like I can score at will, too, when at my best.”

If the last three games are any indication, Bacot is headed in that direction. He’s averaged 16.3 points on 18-for-24 shooting (75 percent), with 8.3 rebounds and has swatted away four opponents’ shots.

Perhaps as the season marches forward and Bacot continues his ascent, a word to best describe him might be “player,” as in “big-time player.”