The Kansas Jayhawks erased the largest deficit in national championship game history to win their fourth national title over the University of North Carolina last night, and while UNC fans will always remember this tournament for how they beat Duke and coach Mike Krzyzewski in the Final Four, they may also lament how an ankle injury may have prevented them from winning another title.
Armando Bacot was one of the best players for the tournament and one of the main reasons UNC was able to topple Coach K in what will turn out to be his final game, but Bacot suffered an injury late in that Final Four game against Duke. With 5:18 remaining in the game, Bacot rolled his right ankle and went down in pain. He limped to the sidelines and was addressed by team trainers over the course of the next few minutes. It was clear that he was injured, but he wanted to play through the injury if he could, and he checked back in with 4:36 remaining and helped the Tarheels secure the victory over their rivals.
Although he wasn’t 100 percent, Bacot was determined to suit up for the national championship 48 hours later, and he was surprisingly agile on the injured ankle, helping UNC out to a 15-point halftime lead. However, Kansas clawed back and took at one point lead with less than a minute to play when Bacot attempted to drive to the hoop in hopes of giving his team the lead, only to see his ankle (and a floorboard) give way.
Armando Bacot injured his ankle on a loose floorboard.
A LOOSE FLOORBOARD AT THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. pic.twitter.com/Ion0BCqly6
— Troy Machir (@TroyMachir) April 5, 2022
Ankle Ligament Strengthening
Bacot ended up turning the ball over on the play, and UNC never scored another point as they fell 72-69, but UNC fans will forever be haunted by the loose floorboard and Bacot’s loose ankle ligaments.
While it’s uncertain how much the loose floorboard contributed to the injury, it’s likely that Bacot’s previous injury affected the stability of his ankle joint. When he rolled his ankle the first time, his supportive ankle ligaments were stretched beyond their more range. This stretching damages the ligament, but you can target the tissues with physical therapy and controlled exercise to help strengthen them and get back to full health. Bacot did not have time on his side, and the ligaments were still loose during the championship game. When he went to plant his foot, the ligaments couldn’t provide enough support, and the same ankle rolled again.
It’s a heartbreaking way to end a season for one of the best rebounders in college basketball, but he has plenty of basketball in his future. He’s only a junior, so he’ll have plenty of time to rehab his ankle and get back to full strength before he either returns for his senior season or tries his luck in the NBA, as he’s currently projected as a second round pick.
Targeted physical therapy should help him regain strength and confidence in his ankle, and if he does return to UNC, we expect him to help fuel another run for North Carolina next season. We wish him all the best in his recovery.