Elijah Gertrude only had two points in Tuesday's 90-61 victory versus NC State, but he sure made them count. The redshirt sophomore guard checked in for the last couple minutes of this ACC matchup, and he injected the home crowd in John Paul Jones Arena with a powerful shot of adrenaline.

Gertrude used his ball-handling skills to blow by the defender and then proceeded to throw down a ferocious one-handed dunk while the Wolfpack made an ill-fated attempt to stop him. They say you have to stay ready on the bench, and with his team up big, this young athlete was completely dialed in.

What fans may call “garbage time” could be the only opportunity someone like Gertrude gets to showcase his skills. He seized the moment and provided fans with one final highlight.

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No. 11-ranked Virginia dominated an NC State team that is currently projected to make the NCAA Tournament, thereby extending its winning streak to nine games. The Cavaliers dictated the tempo, controlled the paint area and took advantage of their fast-break chances. Of course, it would not be a true Virginia basketball victory without outstanding defense.

The Wahoos held the Wolfpack to 29 percent shooting from the field, leaving them with no hope of mounting a comeback. They are moving with an intensity that fans have not seen in quite a while. Tony Bennett deserves endless praise for what he built in Charlottesville, which included the program's first-ever national championship, but head coach Ryan Odom is giving Virginia a desperately needed burst of energy.

The revitalized Cavaliers (25-3, 13-2) will collide with No. 1 Duke (26-2, 14-1) in Cameron Indoor Stadium this Saturday afternoon, and if they win, they will enter the month of March as the ACC leaders.