By Corey Frazier

Cameron Indoor Stadium was buzzing with nostalgia and new energy Tuesday night as Duke hosted UCF for “The Brotherhood” exhibition — a fitting name given the connections that run deep between the two programs. UCF head coach Johnny Dawkins, a Duke legend from the Coach K era, made his return to Durham for the first time since 2008 leading a young, fiery Knights squad that wasn’t intimidated by the Blue Devils’ mystique.

Dawkins’ homecoming

For Dawkins, this wasn’t just another exhibition. The former All-American, who starred for Duke from 1982–86 and later served as an assistant under Coach K, received warm applause from the Cameron crowd before tip-off. Dawkins has spent his career embodying Duke’s principles of discipline and toughness — traits his UCF team displayed

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