The North Carolina basketball program has had an impressive start to the 2023-24 season. The No. 7 Tarheels moved to 12-3 after a dominant ACC performance against the NC State Wolfpack. It was a team effort, but senior center Armando Bacot made sure his presence was felt at the end of the game.

Armando Bacot reminds NC State fans of the Tarheels' reign in North Carolina 

North Carolina had a comfortable lead on NC State late in the fourth quarter. With four minutes left in the contest, Bacot waved goodbye to NC State fans and students, per UNC analyst Ross Martin. The trolling move was a stark reminder of North Carolina's stout play.

NC State kept the game close until the middle point of the second half. The Tar Heels went on a run and played hounding defense to keep the Wolfpack away from striking distance.

North Carolina held the Wolfpack to a lowly 9.5 three-point shooting percentage on the night. Moreover, the Tarheels shot nearly 12 percent better from the field overall than NC State.

Senior guard RJ Davis led North Carolina with 16 points and four rebounds on the night. Junior Harrison Ingram nearly had a double-double with 19 points and nine rebounds. Meanwhile, freshman guard Elliot Cadeau contributed 11 points and six assists.

The man of the hour, Armando Bacot, ended the night with nine points and five rebounds. He boasts season averages of 14.9 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, the latter of which is ranked fifth in the country.

North Carolina looks to continue its ascent up the ACC standings as it prepares for matchups with the Syracuse Orange and Louisville Cardinals.