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Andre Dawkins’ shooting tonight could be an important development for No. 4 Duke

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Much has been made about the circumstances surround Duke senior guard Andre Dawkins’ return to the program after sitting out last season and rightfully so. Taking the time off to address personal issues, there were some who opened wondered if the Chesapeake, Va. native had played his last game in a Duke uniform. But he came back, with a new number (34) and a desire to finish his Duke career on a high note.

In the Blue Devils’ first two games Dawkins played a total of two minutes, and with the number of options at head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s disposal playing time could be tough to come by. But a good player will always prepare and remain mentally focused, with the idea being that at any time their name can be called. Dawkins’ name was called on Friday night as the fourth-ranked Blue Devils took on an overmatched opponent in Florida Atlantic and he responded, knocking down five three-pointers and finishing with 17 points in the 97-64 victory.

Dawkins did his damage in 19 minutes of action, adding three rebounds and two assists on a night that saw Duke shoot 54.5% from the field and 12-for-23 from beyond the arc. While the accepted stars for this group, Rodney Hood and Jabari Parker, played as expected and finished with 28 and 21 points respectively Dawkins’ performance could bode well for the Blue Devils going forward if he’s able to provide perimeter shooting on a consistent basis. Adding another shooter to the mix would help alleviate some of the pressure on Hood and Parker offensively, and as a result make the Blue Devils even tougher to defend.

Quinn Cook added a team-high eight assists, and as a team Duke assisted on 19 of their 34 made field goals with just nine turnovers. In the first game after their tough loss to No. 5 Kansas at the Champions Classic, the Blue Devils never trailed and led 12-3 at the first television timeout. There was no hangover and Duke did what good teams are supposed to against overmatched competition: they came out of the gates ready to go and removed any doubt early.

Also of note is the fact that with his 21-point outing (ten rebounds as well) Parker became the first Duke freshman during Krzyzewski’s tenure to begin his career with three straight games of 20 points or more. And given the many talented freshmen who have played for college basketball’s winningest coach, that’s quite the achievement.

Parker and Hood will receive many of the headlines and that’s to be expected given their importance to the Duke attack. But don’t overlook Dawkins’ performance either, not just for what he’s overcome but also for what it could mean down the line for Duke.

Follow @raphiellej