Following the departures of Armando Bacot and Harrison Ingram from the UNC basketball program, one of the biggest questions this season was how North Carolina would replace their resurgent production.

Bacot averaged just over 10 boards per game for the Tar Heels last season, and Ingram averaged 8.8 per game. Together, they accounted for over 50% of North Carolina’s total rebounds.

At the ACC Tip-Off event in Charlotte, head coach Hubert Davis discussed how the Tar Heels would address this issue and continue their reign as the number one rebounding team in the ACC.

“Losing Armando and Harrison, others have to step up… I’ve always said it’s the deciding factor in the outcome of a game. Rebound on both sides and also attack the attack surface. I’m really excited about this group, the versatility, the depth, the athleticism that allows us and puts us in a position to continue to be good at rebounding basketball.”

One player who undoubtedly needs to improve in terms of rebounding is Jalen Washington, the 6-foot-2 forward who now happens to be the tallest player on North Carolina’s roster. Washington averaged just 2.6 rebounds per game in 8.4 minutes last year, and as his minutes increase this year due to the void left by Bacot, his rebounding numbers must follow suit.

At the UNC basketball program’s media day, Washington confirmed that this was the healthiest and strongest start to a season he had ever experienced, allowing him to “rebound and defend better.”

Washington isn’t the only returning Tar Heel looking to improve his rebounding numbers. Junior guard Seth Trimble, who averaged 2.1 rebounds per game in just over 17 minutes per night, shared that he also worked on rebounding.

“If I’m ever the ‘2,’ you won’t see me crashing… But if I’m the ‘3,’ you’ll see me walking and just trying to grab a board. As wild as I can be, I’m as competitive as possible. He knows that, so he (Hubert Davis) sent me.

In addition to Trimble and Washington, North Carolina managed to find emerging talent through the portal. Vanderbilt transfer Ven-Allen Lubin is coming off a sophomore season in which he averaged 6.3 rebounds per game, and 6-foot-10 Belmont transfer Cade Tyson is coming off a 5.9 rebounds per game average also a force on the field last season.

With Bacot and Ingram gone, the Tar Heels have big shoes to fill. But with returning players and transfers seemingly so eager to improve, there should be a sense of confidence and excitement about the Tar Heels’ rebounding abilities this season.