Armando Bacot

Coach K made sure to check up on UNC Tar Heels star Armando Bacot after the latter went down with an injury during their game vs. Duke.

The coach also gave his props to the Tar Heels star. After the game, Duke’s Coach K went over to Armando Bacot and congratulated him. The UNC Tar Heels may have won a huge game against the rivals Duke to advance to the championship game, but it came with a few heart attacks.

Buy Photos Photo by Ira Wilder | The Daily Tar Heel UNC junior forward Armando Bacot (5) walks off the court after the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament against ...

“But at every point of the season we knew if we came together as a team then we could get to the championship, and that’s what we did.” UNC had withstood Duke's chance to pull away, but each triple in the back and forth barrage dug a deeper pierce in the heart of each fanbase as the Blue Devils regained the lead. He placed a picture of the Final Four venue in each player's locker, seemingly manifesting the ride his team would eventually embark on. Preserving his energy was a priority, as his next step is something that seemed unthinkable at many points in his career. After sophomore guard Caleb Love nailed a three to put his team up by four and knocked down free throws to put the game on ice, the Tar Heels no longer were solely reliant on the six-foot-10 forward that had propelled them all season. For two years, he had spent two years enduring tough losses and promising the Tar Heel fanbase that better days were ahead.

Let's start with his first-half effort. After 20 minutes of play, Bacot had already recorded 9 rebounds. That number gave him 72 boards in the NCAA Tournament ...

Armando Bacot fouls out with 21 rebounds, the most by any player in a national semifinal since Hakeem Olajuwon had 22 vs. Of course, the ankle injury that he suffered during the victory over Duke will be something to keep an eye on. He now has the most rebounds ever in a single national semifinal or championship game in UNC basketball history. Although he did not have his best night shooting the basketball in North Carolina’s nail-biting victory over rival Duke, Bacot certainly still made an impact. Louisville in 1983. However, behind head coach Hubert Davis, the team believed in themselves and made a very strong push to get to Monday’s title game.

After rolling his ankle badly in the second half of UNC's Final Four matchup with Duke, Armando Bacot had two words for his teammates.

“I can read. “I have a read. I can read. "I have a read. He will play. Even if he just stands there, he's gonna play."