UNC basketball’s Armando Bacot sets another record as Tar Heels pull away from Lehigh
CHAPEL HILL – It didn’t take long for North Carolina basketball’s Armando Bacot to set another record on Sunday afternoon at the Dean E. Smith Center.
In the first 40 seconds of the 19th-ranked Tar Heels’ 90-68 win against Lehigh, Bacot grabbed two offensive rebounds on the same possession to pass Tyler Hansbrough as UNC’s all-time leader in offensive boards.
Bacot, the Tar Heels’ leader in career rebounds and double-doubles, dominated on the interior with 22 points and 20 rebounds against the Mountain Hawks (0-3). It was his third career game with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds.
“For us, it is what is required for us to be the best that we can be. Cormac (Ryan) always says, ‘It takes what it takes.’ One of the things that it takes is for Armando to be that dominant and consistent low-post presence for us. Then, on the defensive end, protecting the basket and rebounding the basketball," UNC coach Hubert Davis said.
"Armando’s been amazing throughout his entire career. But there’s a sense of urgency that I haven’t seen in him. I think because this is it – there’s no more years after this – there’s a passion, there’s a desire in him to leave on a good note ... whatever that looks like. I love that he plays that way and that’s something that we need every game.”
Bacot has pulled down 487 offensive rebounds in 134 games. Hansbrough grabbed 482 in 142 games at UNC.
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“Coming into this game, I knew I was going to try and get like 20 rebounds. … We don’t know the legality of it yet, but we’re trying to donate some money per rebound to charity," Bacot said.
"So, I know I want to come out and get as many rebounds as possible. … Donating to charity for every rebound, that’d be huge for me. I’m gonna try to get as many 20-rebound games as I can.”
Once the NCAA’s NIL (name, image and likeness) rule went into effect in June 2021, Bacot became the first UNC basketball player to take advantage of the new landscape as he landed a sponsorship deal with Jimmy’s Famous Seafood in Maryland.
After recently chatting with John Minadakis, the co-owner and operator of Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, Bacot wants to find a way to make his stats help those off the court. In 2022, Bacot helped raise $60,000 for local charities in Baltimore at a golf tournament sponsored by Minadakis.
Here’s what else stood out for the Tar Heels (2-0) in their second game of the 2023-24 season.
Harrison Ingram keys UNC basketball’s key stretch
UNC was a 24 ½-point favorite, according to oddsmakers, but Lehigh didn’t go quietly. Despite playing two games in three days, the Mountain Hawks only trailed by three with 13 minutes left.
The Tar Heels responded with a 14-2 run over the next three-plus minutes to take command. Harrison Ingram, who finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, had back-to-back baskets during that key stretch as UNC coasted to the finish line.
RJ Davis’ hot shooting continues
With just under eight minutes left, senior guard RJ Davis had 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting and four rebounds. Davis hit three of UNC’s five 3-pointers and – going back to last season – reached double-digit points for the eighth game in a row .
Lehigh hangs around against Tar Heels
UNC led by 15 points in the first half as Lehigh missed 11 shots in a row during a stretch, but the Mountain Hawks made seven of their next 12, including four 3-pointers in the last seven minutes to make it 43-34 at halftime. UNC missed half of its layups (7 for 14), with Davis (13 points) and Bacot (12 points) accounting for 25 of the Tar Heels’ points in the first half.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC basketball’s Armando Bacot sets another record in Tar Heels' win
