Armando Bacot addresses record for most double-digit rebounding games

North Carolina big man Armando Bacot will now forever be in the program’s record book, setting a record on Tuesday night. He has the most double-digit rebound games in Tar Heel’s history, passing the legendary Billy Cunningham during a game against The Citadel.

For such a historic place as North Carolina, getting this type of record is never something Bacot could have thought of. He said being the all-time leader in a certain category is something to get excited about.

“It’s something I never would have imagined,” Bacot said. “You couldn’t tell me I would be No. 1 in anything here as a kid. So, it’s just great. I’m very excited and happy.”

Reflecting throughout the entire journey, a lot of people would have had to miss shots in order for Bacot to secure rebounds. Rough years shooting during his freshman and sophomore year immediately came to mind, recalling some offensive rebounds he was able to secure.

“It was great,” Bacot said. “I mean, it’s just a testament to my hard work and I guess the amount of shots that were missed. My freshman year, we didn’t make a lot of shots or my sophomore year, really. I think that really helped my stats.”

Scoring has been a big part of Bacot’s game, currently averaging just over 16 points per game in 10 appearances this season. But the UNC big man knows his job — cleaning up the glass and helping his team down in the paint.

“Definitely,” Bacot said when asked if he’s a rebounder at heart. “Coach Rob, Coach Williams, when I first got here, really doctored that into me and it’s just really helped me a lot.”

Armando Bacot sets UNC rebounding record

When Armando Bacot returned to North Carolina for another season, there were going to be multiple opportunities to set some program records. One came on Tuesday night with The Citadel in town and to no surprise, Bacot is doing it again on the glass.

Recording his 10th rebound in the second half, Bacot set the record for the most double-figure rebound games for the Tar Heels. Tuesday was game No. 62 of having at least 10 boards. He passes the legendary Billy Cunningham on the leaderboard.

Against The Citadel on Tuesday, Bacot finished with 11 rebounds after dealing with some injuries over the past few games. It marked the fourth consecutive game he was able to achieve double-digit rebounds.

Bacot continues to set himself in the UNC record books and will continue to do so throughout the 2022-2023 season. He has been a rebounding machine since arriving on campus in 2019 and will be hoping his talents can lead the Tar Heels to a national championship.