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For Dawkins, finally putting pen to paper for his letter of intent ends one of the more anticipated decisions for a Matador Men’s Basketball student-athlete in several years.  Dawkins had several four-year NCAA Division I programs vying for his services, and found the Cardinals’ program most to his liking.   The move also officially closes the 2-year career of the one of the top point guards in AWC Basketball history.  When Dawkins made the move from Holly Springs, Mississippi to Yuma back in the summer of 2005, he came to a program that had just made its first trip to the NJCAA Tournament in several years, but had lost its entire starting lineup and needed an impact player to keep the winning tradition going.  The Matadors found that in Dawkins, who made sure no one else would start at the point guard position during his tenure.  Dawkins returned the young 2005-06 Matadors to ‘Hutch’ during his freshman season and spread the wealth from the point, leading the team in assists at 4.7 per game (5^th-best in the ACCAC), and garnering All-ACCAC 2^nd Team honors. 

Dawkins’ sophomore season meant even more of a leadership role, and he immediately showed how ready he was to accept that challenge.  While still leading the team with 4.5 assists per game (5^th-best in the ACCAC) and steals (2.9 steals per game, 2^nd ACCAC), Dawkins’ scoring average kept him in the ACCAC Top 10 in that category until the final week of the regular season.  “The Mississippi General” finished the season averaging 17 points per game, which was 11^th-best in the conference, and was also the conference champion in free throw percentage (85.6%).  The respect for Dawkins extended well beyond just Yuma this year, since he was not only named to the All-Region I 1^st Team, but was also the top vote-getter on the All-ACCAC 1^st Team voting, and was named the ACCAC Player of the Year.  Dawkins followed that a couple of weeks later with national acclaim, earning a spot on the NJCAA All-American 2^nd Team.

Dawkins now heads back to the Central Time Zone to join a program that-for the third straight year-fell just two wins short of reaching the NCAA Tournament.  Lamar fell to Northwestern State in the semifinals of the Southland Conference Tournament, ending the Cardinals’ season at 15 wins and 17 losses.  The Cardinals are hoping Dawkins will be one of the building blocks that will get them back to ‘The Big Dance’ for the first time since 2000.