No. 7 North Carolina overpowers Notre Dame 84-51 on senior night

Updated Mar. 5, 2024 10:25 p.m. ET

Associated Press

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Armando Bacot played in his record 162nd ACC game and No. 7 North Carolina overpowered Notre Dame 84-51 on senior night Tuesday to clinch at least a share of the regular-season conference championship.

The fifth-year player who holds the school's record for career rebounds and double-doubles checked out to a standing ovation with about three minutes remaining.

“He’s been a great leader for us,” RJ Davis, who also might have played his final game at home, said of Bacot. “He’s been dominant throughout his whole career here, breaking records left and right.”

Scoring his last basket at Smith Center on a 3-pointer, Bacot finished the night with 14 points and five rebounds.

“Armando can shoot the 3, and I’ve told him he can shoot it, I just want him to shoot it at the right time,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said. “He’s so good around the basket, I don’t want him to go away from dominating points in the paint.”

Davis, a fourth-year senior who has a COVID year of eligibility remaining, had 22 points and six assists. He and Cormac Ryan, who had 14 points, exited the court to applause immediately behind Bacot.

Harrison Ingram added 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Tar Heels (24-6, 16-3).

North Carolina's fifth straight victory clinched at least a share of the program's 33rd conference title.

Tae Davis led Notre Dame (12-18, 7-12) with 11 points.

Notre Dame didn’t connect on a field goal in the second half until J.R. Konieczny’s layup at the 13:56 mark. North Carolina led by as many as 38 points.

“Congrats to North Carolina," Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry said. “It was grown men playing against little boys. We got to get better if we want to get to that level.”

BIG PICTURE

Notre Dame: The Irish had won five of their last six games entering this contest, but the Smith Center has proven to be a difficult place for opponents. UNC is 14-1 there this season. Meanwhile, the Irish dropped to 2-9 on the road. Dooming Notre Dame was its lack of offensive execution, as the Irish knocked down just five 3-pointers, tying their lowest total in an ACC game this season.

North Carolina: It’s the first time since the 2018-19 season that the Tar Heels have won at least a share of the ACC crown, and they clinched it by playing some of their best defense of the season. It was the fifth time this year North Carolina held a conference opponent to under 35% shooting from the floor. North Carolina also excelled in transition, turning 12 Notre Dame turnovers into 18 points.

“I thought we were really locked in defensively,” Hubert Davis said. “I thought our energy, our effort, our attention to detail was really good. I thought we were impactful on the ball.”

UP NEXT

Notre Dame: Visits Virginia Tech on Saturday.

North Carolina: Visits No. 9 Duke on Saturday.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball