ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 12, 2021

Armando Bacot

North Carolina Tar Heels

Postgame Press Conference

Florida State 69, North Carolina 66

Q. Armando, as a leader for this team, how do you get these guys back on track to do it all again in just another tournament?

ARMANDO BACOT: Yeah, I mean, obviously we hurt, but I guess we fought back, saw some stuff we could take away from that. But like I said yesterday, we dig ourselves in a hole like that against versus them, it was no chance of us winning. But we actually got a chance, got the lead, but they're a good basketball team and hit some good shots and we just lost. But I guess we can just carry this momentum -- I feel like we got better as team this week, and we can carry that on into the tournament.

Q. Can you identify a couple areas that you think you guys absolutely grew this week, areas you got better?

ARMANDO BACOT: I would just say confidence mainly and just our approach. I feel like we know we can play with any team now. We feel like if we play our best game and just go out there from the jump, we can be good. Obviously we didn't get the start we wanted today. But Florida State's defense is a little weird, it takes a little adjusting to do just because of the switching and all that. So just finding the weak spots taking a little bit longer than other. But I would just say confidence and just knowing that we've got to go out there and be ready to play every day.

Q. After you heard about Virginia this morning and after Duke yesterday, were you concerned at all that this game might not be played tonight?

ARMANDO BACOT: No, because we've been in the bubble for a minute now, and I feel like we've been doing a good enough job to prevent it from happening.

Q. You said Florida State's defense is a little weird. Is there anybody else you've played that can switch kind of like they do, switch every screen and has the length? Is there anybody comparable or are they unique in that respect?

ARMANDO BACOT: No, they're definitely unique in that respect because they've got so much length, and they're athletic and they play 12 players deep. So kind of like how we are with our front court, they always have fresh legs. They're switching, they're fronting the post, not letting us get into our sets. So it was a tough thing. It's kind of a game of just playing freelance the whole time out there, trying to just go and score one-on-one stuff and stuff like that. Because I mean, it was just hard to get any offense versus them.

Q. Can you tell us what your energy level is like right now after playing three games in three days?

ARMANDO BACOT: I mean, I'm ready for the next one. We thought with two minutes left, this was our game. I'd much rather be playing tomorrow. We're all fine, though. We're just ready to play and lock in for the tournament.

Q. What do you like about playing with Day’Ron and what do you like about playing with Garrison? Can you break down the differences playing with each guy?

ARMANDO BACOT: Well, playing with Garrison, I know he's such a smart player, so he kind of can cover the tracks of a lot of us out there. Just his leadership and just his always knowing where to be and what to do. It's kind of like just another coach out there on the floor. And with Day’Ron, I mean, y'all know how Day’Ron is. I thought today he had the biggest impact on the game just when he came in and the minutes he played. He went out there and fought. I thought me and him did a good job on the boards, just competing.

But, Walker, he's just so good. He's a shot blocker. He's kind of like Garrison in the fact where if you get beat off the dribble, you'll have him on your weak side to go block shots. He's always getting offensive rebounds, he can stretch the floor, and all that.

Q. As a player and a guy that usually has a pretty interesting perspective, what do you make of how this tournament is ending? Georgia Tech is going to play in the final, they've played one game in the tournament. FSU, it was their first game tonight. As a player, how do you look at that and what do you make of what has happened here?

ARMANDO BACOT: I mean, honestly it's kind of scary to be honest with you, especially going into the NCAA Tournament just not knowing like what can happen. Because I'm pretty sure all those teams have been following the right measures. You just never know who can get it, where it's at, how. It'll be definitely interesting to see the next couple weeks with the tournament and things like that.