Published Feb 4, 2023
Love, Bacot Are Just Fine Serving As Cameron Crazy Targets
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Andrew Jones  •  TarHeelIllustrated
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CHAPEL HILL – Venturing into Cameron Indoor Stadium to play Duke can be an intimidating experience for many college basketball players, especially young ones who haven’t been in that raucously unique environment.

But for a few Tar Heels, the idea of heading over there, warming up in front of the Cameron Crazies, and dealing with their wrath for 75 minutes before the game starts until the final second, is something they embrace. They want it, and can’t wait to dive back into the hornet’s Saturday night when North Carolina visits Duke.

UNC’s two biggest targets wherever the team goes are Armando Bacot and Caleb Love, and when they step onto the court to simply shoot around long before the opening tip, they will hear the brunt of the Duke students. They will feel it, and will also see it.

It’s a spectacle they are looking forward to it.

“Yeah, for sure. I try to take in all that stuff,” Bacot said Friday afternoon in the Smith Center. “I try to look at the signs, the crowd, see who’s there. I’m one of the people who take in everything and get the full experience.”

Part of the experience is that wrath. It’s all in good fun, sort of.

The Crazies will have plenty of derogatory signs made depicting images or with comical wording directed at the Tar Heels. Sometimes it might even get personal, and given what transpired the last two times these teams met, the heat will be turned up.

And the main target, mainly because he cut out their hearts ending former Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s career last April in the Final Four, is Love. Asked if he will be a marked man over there, Love smiled, essentially welcoming that.

“I feel like that’s just what comes with it,” he said also on Friday.

Love hit a game-sealing 3-pointer over the out-stretched arms of 7-foot Duke center Mark Williams in the Final Four in the Superdome, rendering an iconic image that will go down in UNC lore as one of the most cherished moments in the program’s fabled history.

A month earlier, another memorable image was captured as Bacot was finishing off a slam on the break, which came off a feed from Love in transition. Bacot’s legs are kicked up, and as Love was approaching the camera, his tone was out.

Both images will remain timeless for one fan base, and the cause of angst and ire for the other. And, both Tar Heels are easy targets for opposing fans. They like to talk, and quite open about things, and rub fans the wrong way, especially Bacot, who sometimes appears to almost go out of his way to ruffle feathers.

So, who does he think will have the larger bullseye Saturday night, Love or himself?

“Definitely Caleb,” he said smiling. “I try to bring it on myself, but definitely Caleb. I think people just, in general, hate Caleb more than me. I want to be hated more, though.”

Beating the Blue Devils in two of the most historic games ever played in the greatest rivalry in sports will generate plenty of animosity. Beating them four of the last five times, as the Tar Heels have, will raise that meter a tad bit higher.

No Tar Heel has been disliked by opposing fans, especially Duke ones, as much as Tyler Hansbrough was. UNC won all four of his visits to Cameron, plus he won a national title during his career while setting records and notching numerous honors.

Bacot wouldn’t mind having that tag. He recently passed Hansbrough as Carolina’s all-time leading rebounder, he played for the national title last season, and was the Preseason ACC Player of the Year, and is currently the clear frontrunner to achieve the award. Plus, a win Saturday night means Bacot will win his last three trips into Cameron.

So yeah, he really wants to see the signs, hear the chants, and get a full vibe from the Duke fans Saturday.

“I want people to boo me. I don’t think I get booed enough,” he said. “Like, I’m trying to get to that point, but I haven’t gotten to that point yet.”

For good measure, and perhaps to settle the score, at least with respect to play projections, RJ Davis was asked Friday who will be marked man number one: Bacot or Love?

“That’s hard,” Davis replied, clearly taking a moment to give the question serious thought. “I’m gonna go with C. I’ll pick Caleb.”

That’s just fine with Love.

“Yeah, for sure,” he said, again smiling. “I won’t be fazed. I like being that way.”

Love & Bacot Friday Interviews Below

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