Coach K on how Duke can limit impact of Armando Bacot
Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski knows Armando Bacot is a menace on the glass. With his Blue Devils set to face the Tar Heels on Saturday, the coach stressed that boxing out Bacot is a top priority.
“He’s one of the best players in the country,” Krzyzewski said. “He’ll be a candidate for Player of the Year in our conference. He’s put up great numbers many games in a row. …You just have to have constant vigilance trying to block him out. Hopefully we can win it with some of those numbers. But you’re not gonna stop a guy like that. He’s too good. He’s relentless on the boards.”
Bacot’s 12.5 rebounds per game lead the ACC and rank third in all of college basketball. He ranks fourth in the country with 84 total offensive rebounds. Duke will hope 7-footer Mark Williams and freshman phenom Paolo Banchero can crash the defensive glass with a bit of extra energy Saturday.
As good of a rebounder as the 6-foot-10, 240 pound Bacot is, he is also a skilled scorer. He leads the Tar Heels with 16.5 points per game on an efficient 54.5% from the field.
This is the first meeting this season between the historic rivals. Duke enters with an 18-3 record and first in the ACC, but North Carolina (16-6, 8-3) is close behind. Whichever team wins this weekend will claim the top spot in the conference for the time being.
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This is also the first game Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis has coached against Duke, another storyline to follow. Davis was a player for UNC from 1989-92 and returned as an assistant coach under Roy Williams from 2012-20.
Although Bacot certainly has NBA potential, the Blue Devils have the most pro prospects of the two schools. Banchero ranks the highest at No. 2 on ESPN’s big board. Fellow freshmen AJ Griffin and Trevor Keels are also among the top 15 players.
No matter how the two teams compare from a talent level though, this rivalry typically doesn’t fail to deliver. Krzyzewski will need Duke to keep Armando Bacot in check to escape the Dean Smith Center with a win.
Tip off for the big rivalry game is set for 6 p.m. ET Saturday in Chapel Hill.