Stat sheet stuffer
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AUBURN, Ala. | T.J. Dunans showed his versatility at Columbia (Tenn.) State College this past season and the Auburn signee is expected to bring that playmaking ability to the SEC next year.
"He had a great year. He was a stat sheet stuffer," Columbia State coach Brian Collins said. "There are going to be nights when you might not think he has a good game and he ends up having 12 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. There's going to be other nights where he might go for 25 or 30.
"He had double-figure rebound games and he even had four or five blocks in a game this year. He's the type of player that can play all over the floor."
Dunans, 6-foot-5 and 185 pounds, averaged 15.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks per game as a sophomore. He had a career-high 52 points in his final game as a freshman and had a triple-double -- 31 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists -- against Elizabethtown College last November.
"He's a playmaker. He's a willing passer," Collins said. "He's going to be able to create so many things for himself and his teammates, and he's going to be a dynamic and athletic player to watch."
Dunans shot 41.0 percent from the floor, 22.0 percent (28-of-127) from 3-point range and 62.0 percent from the free throw line this past season, which is one of two areas Collins would like him improve upon has he transitions to the next level.
"He needs to continue to work on his shot, make sure he gets those percentages up, and he needs to work on his defense," Collins said. "He's a good off-side defender and does a good job of staying in passing lanes, but he needs to get better with on-ball defense. He has all the tools to do it."
Collins said Dunans compares favorably to former Tennessee All-SEC shooting guard Jordan McRae.
"They have similar games," Collins said. "T.J. won't shoot it as good as Jordan shot it his senior year but you'll see what I'm talking about when he gets there.
"I think they want him to come in and be somebody that can create for himself and others and attack off the bounce. I think he can be kind of something they didn't have this year. KT Harrell was a dynamic scorer and Antoine Mason could get it going in bunches but neither of them were long and lean and can wiggle through people and be elusive like T.J. can."
Collins said Dunans also excelled off the court and is on track enroll at Auburn by May 18.
"He was one of the key leaders on our team that made it to the national tournament in back-to-back years," Collins said. "He's a hard worker. He did what he was supposed to do.
"Right now, it's looking like he'll graduate in May and be ready to go at Auburn in the first session of summer school. He should be ready to go."
