UCF Coach Johnny Dawkins Will Face Alma Mater in 2025
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The UCF Men's Basketball team will take on the Duke Blue Devils in the latter's Brotherhood Run exhibition game, both programs announced Thursday.
The game, slated for Oct. 21 in Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium, will mark UCF coach Johnny Dawkins' first game as a coach in Cameron Indoor Stadium since he left the Blue Devils staff to take the Stanford head job in 2008.
Date is set! We will see y’all in Cameron 🗓️
— UCF Men’s Hoops 🌴 (@UCF_MBB) July 17, 2025
📰: https://t.co/zaOmCXx4uB pic.twitter.com/CPhM1QAZY5
“It’s always special going back to Duke,” Dawkins said in the joint announcement. ”It’s a place that shaped so much of who I am, both as a player and a person. To have the opportunity to bring our UCF team there, to compete in that environment and be part of something meaningful, is an honor."
"It’s not just about basketball — it’s about giving back to the game and continuing the relationships that helped build my foundation.”
Players react: Coach Dawkins @DukeMBB highlights 📽️ pic.twitter.com/KqhP2WTJDE
— UCF Men’s Hoops 🌴 (@UCF_MBB) July 17, 2025
Dawkins, whose No. 24 from his playing days at Duke was retired by the school in 1986, has only faced his alma mater twice as a coach, once with Stanford in the 2014 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic and once with the Knights in the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
"His jersey hangs in the rafters, and his legacy is felt every day within our program," Duke coach Jon Scheyer said in the announcement. "I had the privilege of playing my first two years here with him on the coaching staff, and I learned so much from the way he leads with integrity and humility. This game will be a great test for both teams as we gear up for the season and we get a chance to play in front of our fans in Cameron."
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Bryson Turner is a sports journalist who covers UCF Athletics. Turner has contributed to the Black and Gold Banneret, the home for UCF Athletics on SB Nation. He has called the Orlando area home since the age of 8 and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from UCF.
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