NCAA Basketball: Top 10 players to wear jersey No. 5 in 2023-24 season
By Joey Loose
1. Armando Bacot (North Carolina)
One thing that’s certain is that next year is going to feel weird in Chapel Hill without Bacot on the roster. He’s been an important part of the equation for the Tar Heels for the last five seasons and is fresh off a really solid final campaign. A former Top 25 prospect, Bacot helped lead North Carolina to the national title game as a junior before the team’s utter disappointment the following year. Fortunately things went somewhat better in his final collegiate season.
Bacot put up 14.5 points and 10.3 rebounds, averaging a double-double for a third consecutive season. This marked his second season leading the ACC in rebounds, finishing 4th in the nation in that category this year. He earned All-ACC honors for a fourth straight season and just missed the cut as an All-American with his explosive numbers for the Tar Heels. He was also one of the ACC’s leaders in blocked shots and field goal percentage.
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Bacot’s 22-point, 20-rebound effort against Lehigh came in the second game of the season, though he’d play just as well in more high-profile contests. He scored 22 in a critical win over Tennessee and was a double-double machine, especially in league play. Bacot helped take the Tar Heels to a regular season title in the ACC, standing out with a 25-point performance in a win over rival Duke. He’d help lead them to the Sweet Sixteen, scoring at least 18 in all three Tourney games, and putting a much prettier bow on the end of his college career.