Armando Bacot: Wanting to Beat Duke Never Changes

Sophomore forward looking to snap UNC losing streak in rivalry game

There won’t be any fans. Neither team is ranked and both are coming off of a loss. But it’s still Duke-North Carolina, and Armando Bacot doesn’t expect the Blue Devils to be any less ready for the showdown.

“They’re kind of motivated by themselves with them playing against all their peers,” Bacot said. “Obviously, we know all those guys. I mean, it’s Duke-UNC. It’s something you grew up watching as a kid. It’s surreal just playing in that moment. It’ll be the same for us. Probably from the outside looking in, it’ll look a lot different, but we’re fired up.”

“We know what’s all at stake,” he added. “Bragging rights for fans. Us wanting to beat Duke—that never changes.”

North Carolina has a score to settle after losing both of last year’s games, most notably the crushing double-buzzer beater loss in the Smith Center that featured a late-game comeback by Duke.

“We’ve got to expect their best game,” Bacot said. “Last year, for the first 32 minutes, it was probably the best game we put together. The last six minutes were probably the best six minutes they put together. We’ve just got to expect a full game from both of us. They’re going to give us their best game. We’ve got to give them our best game. … The way we lost last year, we definitely want to go out there and beat them. I’ve never experienced beating Duke. It’s definitely something I want tobe able to be a part of.”