After making a run to the NCAA Tournament championship a year prior, North Carolina basketball completely missed out on the Big Dance last season. Armando Bacot is looking to ensure North Carolina basketball doesn't suffer the same fate in the 2023-24 season.

Bacot will be anchoring a Tar Heels team that was ranked 19th in the preseason AP top 25 poll. As he hopes to will North Carolina basketball back into the NCAA Tournament, Bacot has liked what he has seen from this year's team, via NCAA reporter Andy Katz.

“The way we compete. The way we defend is going to be very encouraging,” Bacot said of the team's strengths. “We play hard as a team and that's half of the battle right there.”

The Tar Heels big man is returning for his fifth season with North Carolina. He has already been a third-team All-American and twice a first-team All-ACC recipient. But Bacot is looking to ensure his legacy with North Carolina is memorable. As he finishes out his campaign, Bacot said his ultimate goal is to have his jersey up in the Dean E. Smith Center rafters.

Many believe Armando Bacot will leave his mark, as he was named to the 2023-24 AP preseason All-America team. He knows he can't do it alone however and will look for North Carolina's new-look roster to erase last year's embarrassment. Back with North Carolina basketball for one last ride, Armando Bacot is looking to leave his mark.

The big man doesn't want to ensure his Tar Heels tenure without a trip to the NCAA Tournament.