Hubert Davis stresses importance of getting best out of Armando Bacot

Armando Bacot He shot 77 percent from the floor and scored 25 points in North Carolina93-84 victory Duke on Saturday. It was Bacot’s first 20+ point performance since November.

Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis believes Bacot is one of the best bigs in the country, but his numbers in recent games have declined. Davis explained why it was so important for Bacot’s confidence to have a massive performance against an opponent like Duke.

“I thought it was important for him to get off to a good start and he was able to do that.” davis said After the match. “I felt like that gave him confidence to be able to be strong and effective on the offensive end.

“When he dominates the post like that, that opens everything up for us. It gives us space to drive, penetrate and get to the basket. It allows us to take open shots on the perimeter and brings us closer to the penalty. …So there are a number of benefits for us when our Armando is aggressive and plays like he did tonight.”

Bacot finished Saturday’s win over Duke with a double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds, a big jump from his performance just days before the rivalry game against the Blue Devils. Georgia Tech defeated the Tar Heels 74-73 and Bacot scored just nine points on 4-of-8 shooting to go with nine rebounds.

Before that, Bacot was still struggling. Coming into the Duke game, he was averaging 6.3 points per game in UNC’s last three matchups. Despite Bacot’s low numbers compared to his averages, he rose to the occasion on the biggest stage. After defeating the Blue Devils, Davis believes his big star is back on the right track after his rough patch.

“I told him I loved him and I was very proud of him,” Davis said. “And I kissed him on the cheek, or on the neck, I couldn’t reach his cheek. “It was good, I’m really proud of him.”

Now, the Tar Heels move on to face each other Clemson Tuesday at home. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET live on ESPN.

As of this report, UNC will have no other ranked matchups until the Tar Heels face Duke on the road during the season finale on March 9. That gives Bacot a perfect opportunity to accelerate before its last chance to advance during the NCAA Tournament.