Rutgers Basketball lands Kansas State transfer center Dorin Buca
Rutgers Basketball has added its second center transfer, landing a commitment from former Kansas State center and Italian native Dorin Buca.
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BB Recruiting Kansas State transfer center Dorin Buca commits to Rutgers
- Thread starter Richie O
- Start date
That's a big dude - better than an undersized Dortch as the backup 5. Best games were against Zona and Kansas, so maybe that's a positive.
He’s Romanian like Badalau and a big K-state transfer who didn’t play like Baye Fall. We’ve cracked our recruiting code.
he's better than Fall. That's not a high bar but if he can get a few rebounds and defend Big Ten centers in a back up role that's all we're asking
He got minutes in those 2 games which were blow outs. Wouldnt take too much from that
He made only 2 3s all year both in the Arizona game where he had 12 points..likely flukes given he missed his other 9 attempts
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Nice block against Seton Hall
www.espn.com
Dorin Buca 2025-26 Stats per Game - NCAAM - ESPN
The 2025-26 NCAAM season stats per game for Dorin Buca of the Kansas State Wildcats on ESPN. Includes full stats, per opponent, for regular and postseason.
www.espn.com
Probably as good as could be expected if the budget remaining was around 2 mill as reported and we’re still looking to add a Pg
I agree he has to be better than Ware as a backup but I’m not expecting much
Here we go again ,the " expert" goes negative,what a surprise.Hey Mr. Everthing sucks this guy comes from a power 4 team-- a " minute" ago you were bitching about RU getting mid major and lower portal players as a the " test" of abilities.
Big men develop later than other positions. Let's hope he is ready to give us 10 minutes a night. Welcome to RU!
Slight upgrade over Ogbole.
Let's have a moment of silence for those that claimed that the 2nd portal center would be worse than Ogbole.
Let's have a moment of silence for those that claimed that the 2nd portal center would be worse than Ogbole.
Hes a backup center that will give 10-12 minutes per game and give fouls and some boards a solid pickup nothing more nothing less
Let's hope he gives the same 110% that Ogbole always gaveSlight upgrade over Ogbole.
Let's have a moment of silence for those that claimed that the 2nd portal center would be worse than Ogbole.
Other than him being taller, I’m not convinced he’s an upgrade over Ogbole as a backup center.Slight upgrade over Ogbole.
Let's have a moment of silence for those that claimed that the 2nd portal center would be worse than Ogbole.
Manny shot 60% from the field versus 51% for Buca. Manny gave us 6 rebounds in 19 minutes versus 3 rebounds in 13 minutes from Buca.
Manny fouled out once, in 20 minutes of play against MSU, while Buca fouled out 3 times, in 14 minutes, 14 minutes, and 17 minutes of play.
Also, if we could have gotten Manny back, he would’ve come back with 3 years experience playing in the B1G, and with more familiarity with Pike, coaches, and other returning players.
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I'm not even sure he's the backup by the end of the year. He's much more of an intimidating factor than Gurdak. There is a podcaster out there who covers K State, and he seems to think K. State was a better team with Buca on the floor.
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Much, much more than slight.Slight upgrade over Ogbole.
Let's have a moment of silence for those that claimed that the 2nd portal center would be worse than Ogbole.
I hope you’re right but I’ll be pleasantly surprised if he’s much better. He’s a year older than Manny, and at 7’2 he shot only 51%, committed lots of fouls, had fewer rebounds per 40 minutes and could only see the floor for 13 minutes per game on a team that went 12-20. At his age (he’ll be 24 at the start of next season) how much more improvement should we expect?
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Ogbole was a disaster with his bad hands, poor awareness and positioning. Why you guys continue to overrate him is beyond me.
This guy averaged 2.0 fouls per game while playing just under 13 minutes. He’d be in foul trouble early and often as a starter.
Not saying Manny is a starter. His stats are better than Buca’s and despite his bad hands he had fewer turnovers per 40 minutes than Buca.
Maybe early Sikma.
Buca went 2-11 on the season.
Both makes were in the same game against Arizona.
0-9 the rest of the season.
Looks like every other shot on the station was a layup or dunk.
No, he's not, he's a different Ogbole. Around same age, been playing longer, yet scored the same per 40 minutes, rebounds less, blocks more and somehow turns it over more. Still, probably OK as a back up, but athleticism at the 5 won't be our thing.Slight upgrade over Ogbole.
Let's have a moment of silence for those that claimed that the 2nd portal center would be worse than Ogbole.
A better way of putting it is probably a hybrid of what both of you said. He only played in the NCAAs one year so there’s potential for YoY development. It’s probably fair to say he won’t be a material downgrade to what Ogbole was last season and it’s within the realm of possibility that he could be a slight to modest upgrade over what Ogbole was. I say it this way because Ogbole’s best games were late last season and I personally think if he’s granted another year he will continue to improve (he definitely better year over year).
In terms of grading Pike - this one has to get an A for the back up center pick up. Can’t see anyone assigning anything different. Folks are pointing to the wrong things as BAC pointed out - who cares what he did in the blow out losses. Look at the close games (win or lose) - he had 3 blocks in 11 min vs WVU, good games against Creighton (8 rebounds) and several others. As someone who had no issue with keeping Ogbole as the back up, this is a comparable pick up - he’s 7-2 and physical - balances the ticket. Pike checked the boxes he needed to in the context of what this role is supposed to do. Nothing more. He played meaningful minutes all season long. This isn’t Maker.
Nice, I can see the vision with all of these transfers, just have to see them play meaningful big 10 minutes to see if it's just a vision or reality. Hopefully the coaches have learned from last year and became better portal talent evaluators with the addition of a general manager. I saw the vision with fall, Badalou and zrno as well smh...This years transfers seem to be safer bets with more skill...also bringing in 2 bigs is a win within itself..
I would not have minded bringing Ogbole back as a backup despite his flaws. However, It is not easy for a player to accept going from a starter to backup and it’s not clear Ogbole would get another year of eligibility. Trying to keep Ogbole really wasn’t an option.
Buca seems like a much better fit for the backup role. Like Ogbole, he is limited offensively and turns the ball over. However he does rebound and block shots, which we need. Assuming you’re correct that on the three occasions Buca fouled out he played at least 14 minutes, he should still be able to backup Gurdak and give him the rest he needs.
Could make sense for Buca to start so Rutgers could win the tip and then have them try to run the lob play. Gurdak could come in at the first whistle which would likely be a Buca foul or turnover. Barring injury Gurdak is going to play more minutes than Buca.
I think he's fine as the back up, but the only reason I don't give an A, and it could just be we can't afford what I'd consider an A, was someone who gives something a bit different than Gurdack, an ability to step outside, an ability to guard 4 and 5, or guard on the perimeter if needed, ect. Just due to size he should be a better shot blocker than Gurdack so he gives that element.
This is constantly mind boggling with Ogbole. He somehow gets treated like he was Moses Malone and Hakeem all in one package. He had no on court basketball IQ as he was new to the game, bad hands as you stated and never improved at or even got a clue how to defend the pick and roll. At worst, this guy will be the same but I assume he’ll be at least slightly better, how much better? I am sure Buca has issues too, I mean we brought him here to be a backup, not the starter, Gurdack is the upgrade and starter. Ogbole is out of eligibility and Pike literally bid farewell to him after the last game of the season, there was clearly a parting of the ways between RU and Ogbole, no ill will or anything, just that his time here had clearly ended. Not sure why we keep lighting a candle for Ogbole.
Considering what RU has to work with ($, reputation,etc) - I am not sure RU could be doing any better with this transfer class. Pleasantly surprised.
honestly - I have no idea what the f$&k you are talking about
show me ONE quote of someone on this board ever saying that Ogbole was a Big10 starter quality center. One post.
I was hoping he would stay as I thought, for Rutgers, it might be hard, for Rutgers, to find a BACKUP center, for Rutgers, with the $ that Rutgers has to work with.
I think everyone understands he is a very limited player
this k state kid seems like an upgrade for sure. And I’m pleasantly surprised that we had the ability to get a seemingly/ relatively decent backup center (considering what they go for $)
but I don’t think there is a single RU fan that thinks we lost a legit starter quality big10 center in ogbole
Hopefully we’re getting what you described to an extent with Sydnor. If we’re only in the market for one more clear rotation piece, the PG focus is a huge mistake. What your describing is basically still a black hole for us on D. Buchanan is “ok” on D. We’re hoping Sydnor will be pretty good at the high major level but he’s a question mark, and we otherwise still have no answer at all in games where the emphasis needs to be containment of the 3 and 4 spots. We’re really thin on D and rebounding support. In my view - getting another defensive wing / forward so much more important than getting another PG to share time with Lino, J Mike and the Smith/Tariq PG committee.
All this said - Gurdack is an offense first center who plays serviceable D. I see it opposite you in this we did “balance the ticket”. We brought in a defense first center who blocks shots and rebounds. The scouting report says his biggest issue has been turnovers on offense. Maybe that’s something that can be cleaned up in the offseason - but regardless - we added a 7-2 guy with a physical game to pair with a more finesse style center with good hands. Not bad at all, but as I said - Id have signed up to keep Ogbole as back up so I’m ok with a taller version of that style player.