Two Duke legends, Dawkins and Hurley, battled as coaches. Discover the thrilling outcome as these former Blue Devil stars battled on the sideline.
As UCF and Arizona State tipped off, the two most accomplished players on the court were on the sideline, as coaches.
Both UCF head coach Johnny Dawkins and Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley are two Blue Devil legends that have their jerseys hanging in Cameron Indoor.
Dawkins came before Hurley, playing for Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski in his early tenure at Duke (1982-1986). Dawkins was a smooth lefty-scorer, accumulating 2,556 points during his four-year tenure. This was the program record for points scored until JJ Redick surpassed his total in 2006.
Dawkins is considered one of the pioneers of Duke basketball, leading the Blue Devils to some of their first major successes at the national level.
In Dawkins' senior year, Duke amassed a 37-3 record, which at the time, set an NCAA record for games won and games played in a single season. Dawkins led the way, earning a second-straight first-team All-American designation and being named the Naismith Player of the Year.
Duke fell short, losing to Louisville in the 1986 National Championship, but Dawkins had cemented his legacy. In 2023, Dawkins was officially inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
"I'm humbled and grateful to be selected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame," Coach Dawkins said. "Every step of this journey has been filled with incredible teammates and mentors who have made an impact along the way. To be enshrined along Coach K and several other great players and coaches is an incredible honor as well."
On the other side of the court stood Hurley, the all-time assist leader in NCAA Division 1 history. Hurley played from 1990-1993, leading the Blue Devils to their first ever national championships in 1990 and 1991.
Hurley, alongside the No. 3 pick in the 1992 NBA Draft, Christian Laetner, led a lethal Duke offense that averaged 88 points per game during the 1992 season.
Hurley averaged 7.68 assists through his 140 collegiate games, serving as a facilitator for some of the most dominant teams of the 1990s.
Hurley talked with Yurview about his time at Duke, reminiscing on the success he had in Durham.
“I just know now as a coach just how difficult it is to coach and win games, any game,” Hurley said. “It makes it more impressive to me what we were able to accomplish.”
Dawkins got the best of Hurley this time around, but seeing these two legends match-up in their playing days would have been a sight to see.