North Carolina
Bacot: Tough to go out like this because we had high aspirations, but I wouldn't trade anything
Armando Bacot speaks to the media after his final game as a Tar Heel.
Most of it was, it looked like we were trying to really, I mean, it was just sense of shock really still hasn't hit me at that. We lost and I it was a tough loss. I, I really don't know how to explain my feelings right now. What was it like in the locker room here? Waiting for Hubert to come in? So the guy said it was completely silent. What was, how would you, how would you describe those few minutes? It's tough. I mean, we just always sick that we lost and I mean, all year we play hard and I mean, I thought today we played hard too, but today is just thought for me personally, I didn't do good enough boxing out when you look at the stats. I have 12 rebounds, but I feel like I gave up a lot of long rebounds and things just down the stretch. I gotta be better. I missed a lot of the, that was tough and huge momentum changer, I think for me personally. So I mean, it just sucks. It all like that in the second half. What do you think defined you guys offensively? But the struggle was not making shots. Yeah, I mean, it really was tough. I mean, I felt like all game, like everything was packed in the lane. They were trying to doubling RJ and zoning up in the pain and really just trying to make us knock down shots. It was tough. We really couldn't get too many good looks today for the most part. But yeah, we've been dealing with that. Oh yeah, in the summer we done good against. But I mean, I think really today they just made a lot of shots and we didn't make a lot of shots. We, we said the D and not really hurt you. But why do you think that is? And then you look at the story we lose by how much three points, something like that. So I make that dunk might be a different set of plays, you know. Well, you, you reacted differently to this Miss Duck. You missed a few in the last month and a half and you just stayed right. You had a different facial expression, the two late sense that Cormack came over to you a couple of times than Harrison did. What was your reaction internally to that mess? It was just so crucial just in the time and everything, you know, that was going on at that point. But I mean, definitely heard me going to the next play but after that, I mean, I just washed it away and I was just trying to move on to the next one, but it was definitely a tough play for me. This is obviously the end of an era with you here and playing with RJ. And I mean, I don't know if you've given a message to the team, but if so if we're not, what is it? I mean, I think this year for me was the funnest year of basketball I've had in my life just even though we didn't win a national championship and that was a big goal for us and definitely we're good enough and talented enough. Just the amount of fun we had this year and just um a freshman, I think for basketball, I mean, going to a school like this, it's tough, such a big brand and at times, you know, just the things you here see and just the things you go through at a school like this, it can be tough at times. But I mean, just this year with this team and the amount of fun we had and how hard we played it really thank for all of us, made our love for having basketball and playing at a school like this. I mean, it was just the best experience and it's tough to go out like this because mm, we had high aspirations for this year, but I mean, I wouldn't trade anything and RJ walking off together the last time, I mean, does anything even need to be said. I mean, what were you guys thinking? Did you say anything? No, we really haven't said anything. Um, we're roommates so we'll talk about it tonight. But, I mean, it's all just tough because felt like to win a game and, I mean, we were up late but they just made more plays than SNX Arm. Mother doesn't make it that much harder knowing how close this was. You mentioned, this was the most fun you had to play basketball. It doesn't make it even that more difficult right now for sure. I mean, it just sucks knowing like I won't be able to wear this uniform again. I mean, I think all you guys have seen me grow up for so long and I mean, like you said, I think just me being here was a whole different era of, you know, UN C just for my five years and just everything that happened and yeah, it's just tough knowing like I won't be able to play here again and be in front of these fans. But I will say, I think this team just with all we've done it, brought back the Carolina feeling with just the fans and everything on how we are just our success during the season. I mean, even in the postseason, get to the sweet 16, just the things we've done something that we haven't done since I've been here. And I think this is what coach Davis and all the coaches got going on is bringing the old Carolina feeling back Armado when you look back, um, at all you've been through, you know, since you got to school, I went through a pandemic and, and, and, and such everything guys that were here, uh, when you started, uh, what do you just take away, um, in general, just from this experience? Just so thankful, you know, um, just growing up just even just in high school, I never thought like I would get to this point. So to be able to live what I've lived through these five years of college has been amazing. I mean, just everything Carolina, the school, the state defense have given me, I wouldn't trade it for anything, nothing in this world. And I'm just so glad I was able to be a part of this for five years and then.