Penn State-Schuylkill vs Buffalo prediction: Buffalo's rebuilt Bulls debut a roster almost nobody has seen together
With nearly every minute from last season gone, Buffalo's home opener against Penn State-Schuylkill is the first real look at a transfer-built backcourt and frontcourt.
- Buffalo should control a non-Division I visitor; the interest is in how the new rotation fits, not the result.
- Watch the transfer guards' shooting: Dylan Ducommun hit 28.9% from three last season at Northern Illinois.
- No spread or total has been posted; Buffalo returns just 3.6% of last season's minutes, so last season's numbers say little.
A program starting over
Buffalo went 17-15 last season, finishing 126 spots higher in KenPom than the year before. Almost none of that team is still around. The Bulls bring back only 3.6% of last season's minutes and 1.8% of its points. That makes last season's team profile a weak guide to this one.
The departures hurt most at the top. Ryan Sabol scored 18.9 points per game and is now at Providence. Angelo Brizzi added 14.4 and left for North Carolina. Those two carried an offense built on outside shooting. Last season's Bulls made 38.4% of their threes, 13th of 365 in Division I.
The transfers who replace them
The new core arrives from around the country. Former Syracuse guard J.J. Starling scored 10.9 points per game there last season. Ducommun averaged 10.8 at Northern Illinois but shot poorly and is the bounce-back candidate. Drew Steffe started all 32 games at Southern Illinois and slides in on the wing. Richmond transfer Mikkel Tyne is expected to run the point.
The frontcourt comes as a pair from Tennessee State. Jalen Pitre shot 62.3% from the field there last season. Antoine Lorick III blocked 1.4 shots per game. They could help a defense that ranked 286th in adjusted efficiency last season. That stat measures points allowed per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponents.
Buffalo's most recent game was a 71-66 exhibition win over Mercyhurst on Oct. 21.
What to watch
MAC coaches picked Buffalo 10th in the preseason poll. This upcoming home opener is a low-stakes first look at whether that is too low.
- Perimeter shooting: the incoming guards were not efficient from three last season, a sharp change from Buffalo's old identity.
- Rotation: how the minutes split among five transfers who all started regularly elsewhere.
- Rim protection: whether Lorick and Pitre change a defense that leaked points last season.
Key players
- J.J. Starling (Buffalo): Scored 10.9 points per game in 30 starts at Syracuse last season.
- Dylan Ducommun (Buffalo): Averaged 10.8 points and 3.4 assists at Northern Illinois last season but shot 28.9% from three.
- Jalen Pitre (Buffalo): Made 62.3% of his field goals and grabbed 6.6 rebounds per game at Tennessee State last season.
- Antoine Lorick III (Buffalo): Averaged 9.8 points and 1.4 blocks per game at Tennessee State last season.
Numbers that matter
| Returning minutes | 3.6% | Buffalo kept almost none of last season's playing time, so this is effectively a new team. |
|---|---|---|
| Last season's 3-point % | 38.4% | That ranked 13th nationally, but the shooters behind it have left. |
| Last season's adjusted defense rank | 286th | The defense was Buffalo's weakness, and the new frontcourt is meant to address it. |
| MAC preseason poll | 10th | League coaches picked Buffalo 10th in the preseason poll. |
Penn State-Schuylkill vs Buffalo: quick answers
When is Penn State-Schuylkill vs Buffalo?
Monday, November 9, 2026 at 6:30 PM ET.