Andre Dawkins will wear No. 34 on the floor next year for Duke. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

Andre Dawkins will be back on the court for Duke next year.

Dawkins, who played from 2009-2012 and redshirted last year to deal with grief from his sister’s death in 2009, announced on Twitter Thursday that he would return to the floor next year.

“Excited to say that I will be a part of the 2013-2014 Duke Men's Basketball Team,” he wrote. “Thanks to everyone for the support throughout the year.”

Rodney Purvis has decided to transfer to Connecticut, he said Friday.

Purvis, a McDonald's All-American from Raleigh, averaged 8.3 points and 2.4 rebounds this past season at N.C. State. He made the decision to leave N.C. State on Monday.

UConn is coming off of a 20-10 season in coach Kevin Ollie's first season. The Huskies were banned from postseason play by the NCAA for previous academic issues under former coach Jim Calhoun.

T.J. Warren considered a jump to the NBA after one season at N.C. State. The way his dad figures, Warren's pro stock will be even better after two seasons.

"He's coming back," Tony Warren said Wednesday. "He'll be able to show what he can do."

Warren, a versatile 6-8 forward, will be the Wolfpack's leading returning scorer, after averaging 12.1 points as a freshman. His role will expand next season with N.C. State losing five of its top six scorers from a 24-11 team.

Freshman guard Rodney Purvis has decided to transfer from N.C. State.

Purvis, a McDonald's All-American from Raleigh, averaged 8.3 points and 2.4 rebounds this season and started 23 games. He provided scoring in transition and often an emotional lift for the Wolfpack with his dunks and energy.

He confirmed the decision on his Twitter account on Monday afternoon.

"Tears won't stop falling," Purvis wrote. "I enjoyed every moment here. I still love you guys, no matter how you may feel towards me. Thank y'all !"

Rasheed Sulaimon was emotional in the aftermath of Duke's season-ending loss. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

INDIANAPOLIS—For 24 minutes, Duke played Louisville to an even draw. Both teams had elaborate, technical game plans to prevent the other from doing what they do best offensively. Both teams made adjustments, and the score was knotted in a dead heat.

Then everything started to go wrong for Duke, and it spiraled out of control.

The Cardinals took control early the final half in their 85-63 win to earn the last spot in the Final Four. The Blue Devils went more than six minutes without a field goal, and Louisville went on a 20-4 run during that stretch.

“I believed with everything I had that we were going to win the whole thing,” said Mason Plumlee, who finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds. “All it takes is one game and you’re out.”

Louisville coach Rick Pitino told Kevin Ware to stay down after his gruesome compound fracture. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

INDIANAPOLIS—The first half ended with Louisville holding a 35-32 lead on Duke. The game changed irrevocably, though, midway through the period, when Cardinals guard Kevin Ware suffered a compound fracture in his right leg that left his right tibia exposed.

Ware jumped to defend a Tyler Thornton 3-pointer and collapsed in a heap. Lying on his back right in front of the Louisville bench, his right tibia was sticking through his skin. The reaction by his teammates and coaches was immediate.

Seth Curry was raining 3s on the Spartans. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

INDIANAPOLIS—Tom Izzo joked the day before the game that he didn’t think his Spartans had gotten their fair share of wins against Duke. Perhaps this was their time, he said.

Not this year.

Duke played its best basketball of the postseason to beat Michigan State 71-61 and advance to the Elite Eight. It’s the Blue Devils’ first trip to region final since their 2010 national championship.

It was also Mike Krzyzewski’s eighth win (against one loss) when facing Michigan State.

With a stamp of approval from his coach and his mom, N.C. State junior Lorenzo Brown is headed to the NBA.

Brown, who led the ACC in assists, will skip his final college season and enter the NBA draft, Kim Banks, Brown's mother, said Thursday. Banks said she spoke with her son and Wolfpack coach Mark Gottfried on Wednesday.

"Coach said he's ready for the NBA," Banks said. See photos from Brown's career at N.C. State.

Mark Gottfried spent eight seasons at UCLA but apparently that's not enough to get him to leave N.C. State.

Gottfried, who has led N.C. State to the NCAA tournament in each of his first two seasons, confirmed his commitment to the Wolfpack on Wednesday night on Twitter.

"#WPN I am committed to being at @NCState for a long time Still as dedicated to rebuilding the program as I was 2 yrs ago when I arrived," Gottfried wrote on his account.

Everybody hates Duke.

At least that's what many media outlets will lead you to believe.

There are, undoubtably, people, many people, that root against Duke. On the flip side, though, there are a lot of people that like Duke and even root for Duke. One way to count that is through social media.