With just how important Saturday’s game in the Smith Center is against the rival Duke Blue Devils, it may have slipped your mind that it is also Senior Day. Leaky Black, Duwe Farris, Rob Landry, Justin McKoy, Pete Nance and Jackson Watkins will almost certainly be playing in their final home game on Saturday, but there is still a question about the one remaining senior on the roster.
During his meeting with the media on Thursday, Bacot discussed his plans for the future and how they pertain to Saturday night. “I haven’t really looked too much ahead. I’ve been kind of trying to keep things day by day. I don’t really know yet. I haven’t made a decision.”
Bacot would go on to say that it is an offseason decision for him, but his comments when asked about this being essentially his final game. “It means a lot, and even more importantly, it’s a game that we need to win. You add that into it being my last game. It’s a huge game.”
Bacot, who was named to the Oscar Robertson Late-Season Watch List on Thursday, is currently second on the team in scoring at 16.5 points per game and is leading the team in rebounding so far this season with 10.8 per game. This hasn’t been nearly as dominant of a season as last year for the Tar Heel big man, but he has still been extremely valuable to this team that is making a push toward the tournament.
Bacot’s current draft stock would suggest that a return to Chapel Hill is likely in his future. As of right now, he doesn’t appear on any of the two-round mock drafts and it doesn’t seem like that will change any time soon. His lack of ability to stretch the floor and inconsistent finishing at the rim leaves him too limited as a half-court player and he doesn’t have the running ability to take on the rim-running big role. Teams will have to fall in love with his ability to rebound and get to the foul line if he wants to get drafted.
At this point, it would be a surprise to see Bacot leave barring another deep run in the tournament. His game fits the college game so well and this Tar Heel frontcourt will welcome him back with open arms with a lot of uncertainty about the future at the position.
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