Virginia's Elijah Gertrude stuns with one-handed dunk

Redshirt sophomore guard made the most of limited minutes in blowout win over NC State

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Virginia basketball player Elijah Gertrude came off the bench in the final minutes of Tuesday's 90-61 victory over NC State and delivered a ferocious one-handed dunk, injecting energy into the home crowd at John Paul Jones Arena. Gertrude, who only scored 2 points in the game, used his ball-handling skills to blow by a defender and throw down the highlight-reel slam despite the Wolf Pack's attempt to stop him.

Why it matters

While Gertrude did not see significant playing time, his explosive dunk in the closing moments showcased his athleticism and provided an exciting finish for Virginia fans. The win extended the Cavaliers' winning streak to 9 games and solidified their status as a top team in the ACC.

The details

Gertrude checked into the game in the final minutes with Virginia already comfortably ahead. He used his ball-handling skills to drive past a defender and then threw down a powerful one-handed dunk, electrifying the home crowd. The NC State players made an unsuccessful attempt to stop Gertrude's dunk.

  • Gertrude's dunk came in the final minutes of Virginia's 90-61 victory over NC State on February 25, 2026.

The players

Elijah Gertrude

A redshirt sophomore guard for the Virginia Cavaliers basketball team.

Virginia Cavaliers

The men's basketball team from the University of Virginia, currently on a 9-game winning streak.

NC State

The men's basketball team from North Carolina State University, currently projected to make the NCAA Tournament.

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The takeaway

Gertrude's highlight-reel dunk in limited minutes showcased his athleticism and provided an exciting finish for Virginia fans, even in a blowout win. The Cavaliers' strong performance against a projected NCAA Tournament team further solidified their status as a top team in the ACC.