Halfway through the season, something for Virginia Andrew Rohde clicked. As a result, he has become one of the most reliable ball dealers in the Atlantic Conference.
His emergence is one of the stories when Virginia (12-12, 5-8 ACC) travels to meet Virginia Tech (11-13, 6-7) on Saturday in Blacksburg, va., In the 160th edition of The Rivalry .
Rhodes Metamorphus has been remarkable. In Cavalier’s first 12 matches, 6-foot-6 Junior had 27 assists and 29 sales. During the last 12 games he has 66 assists and eight turnover.
He has been even better during his last three matches and delivered 25 assists without sales, along with beating 8 out of 16 attempts beyond the arch.
“When we think back to the beginning of the season, sales were our plague,” said Virginia’s interim coach Ron Sanchez. “Rohde is playing a fantastic basketball at that point guard position. He really resides in. He is the guy who calms us.”
With Rohde who orchestrated a recent effective crime, Dai Dai Ames set up the two highest scored games in his career last week. Sophomore got 27 points when Cavaliers won at Pittsburgh and 18 points in a victory over Georgia Tech.
Virginia has won three of her last four, with one loss that comes on February 1 at home against Virginia Tech, 75-74.
With a victory on Saturday, Hokies would serve their first regular seasonal sweep by Cavaliers since 2010. Both teams have won three of their last four matches and both have had a week to go into the matchup.
“Last year they know what happened when they came in here,” said Brandon Rechsteiner about Hokies 75-41 Dominance by Cavaliers in February last year in Blacksburg.
“They will definitely have some blood in their eyes,” he added.
Rechsteiner played a big role Saturday in Virginia Tech’s victory 65-63 at Notre Dame, where it collected from a 14-point deficit. He made 7 out of 8 free throw attempts in the last 32 seconds.
Tobi Lawal added 11 of his 15 points in the last 12 minutes to drive the comeback.
-Field level media
