Armando Bacot shares ‘desperation’ to end UNC career on a high note

As a senior, Armando Bacot is soaking in what could be some of his final days as a Tar Heel. However, he says the emotions towards this campaign have changed as North Carolina has failed to meet expectations.

After UNC’s latest 92-85 loss to Wake Forest, their third straight, Bacot expressed the ‘sense of desperation’ he feels at this point of the year. With what he expects from himself and his teammates, he doesn’t want to end things on a sour note as he feels the clock ticking toward the end of his career.

“For me, it’s just a sense of desperation. I want to win and I want to be able to experience those things, said Bacot. “I’m not sitting here saying I’m perfect either because I do mess up too. But I want to win and that’s all I care about. That’s all I want to do.”

“Losing sucks. I hate it,” Bacot added. “I get sleepless nights just thinking about it because it’s all I want to do.”

Bacot has been keeping things up from his dominant junior season. He’s averaging a career-high 17.5 points and grabbing 11.3 rebounds per game through 24 games. Even so, his team as a whole has fallen short to this point. After making it into the national championship in 2022, the Tar Heels sit at just 15-9 overall and ninth in the ACC at 7-6. That means, as of today, they’re a team that’s trending toward the bubble after entering the year with sky-high expectations.

Chapel Hill means everything to Bacot. That’s why he’s fully committed to turning things around in time for North Carolina. He has every intention to still contend again this season but, if they are to do so, it’s becoming a requirement that the Tar Heels finish strong over their final seven games.