Duke adds center from Rice

Duke is going back to Rice to bolster its depth.

Ifeanyi Ufochukwu has signed with the Blue Devils, per Pete Nakos of On3, after spending the last three seasons at Rice. He redshirted this past season and has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Ufochukwu is a 6-11, 240-pound center. In the two seasons he played for Rice, he appeared in 25 games and played 3.5 minutes per game. He has scored 50 points and has 29 rebounds, along with seven blocks.

It’s the second straight transfer portal window in which Duke has added a Rice transfer — and Ufochukwu appears to be in line for the same type of practice-team role held by Cameron Sheffield this past season. After playing in 87 games across his first three seasons at Rice, Sheffield played in 13 games last season for Duke, exclusively in blowout wins.

Duke’s practice team needs a boost given the departures of Spencer Hubbard (out of eligibility) and Stanley Borden (transfer portal).

Ufochukwu is from Nigeria and played high school basketball at Covenant Day School in Matthews, N.C.

He’s the second transfer portal commitment of this cycle for Duke, joining Cedric Coward (Washington State).