Transfer Portal Deep Cuts: Devin Vanterpool and Ryan Sabol in their Season Openers

Vanterpool and FAU took on Boston College, while Sabol (32 points) got blazing hot for Buffalo against Southern Miss

Photo courtesy of FAU athletics

Every transfer portal comes with a certain reputation, but the rep doesn’t always match reality. In our Transfer Portal Deep Cuts series, we aim to dig a little deeper — and let readers decide for themselves — by looking into individual games that shaped the course of their seasons.

In this series you can expect to see a bit of everything: makes, misses, assists, turnovers, and critical moments from games this past season.

Today, we’ll start with new Providence Friars Devin Vanterpool and Ryan Sabol in their season openers.

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Devin Vanterpool and Florida Atlantic played into overtime against Boston College in their first game of the season, eventually taking an 83-78 victory. The Owls trailed by nine points with under five minutes to play, and went down five in the final minute, before rallying to tie the game late.

Vanterpool’s Stat Line: 9 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 turnovers, 37 minutes, 4-10 FG, 1-2 3PT, 0-0 FT

Fresh off a season in which he averaged two points and eight minutes a game, Vanterpool logged 37 minutes in FAU’s season opener. He was the only returnee starting alongside four transfers.

He had the look of a Villanova guard under Jay Wright, getting into the lane with consistency, playing off two feet, and spraying the ball out to shooters as FAU surged back in the second half.

Among his best finishes were a lefty layup in traffic and a fadeaway over one of BC’s bigs, while he was blocked at the rim on two other drives.

Vanterpool assisted on huge shots late, including a three in a one-possession game in overtime to help seal the deal. He was very effective as a creator in this one.

After scoring nine points against BC in the opener and six versus Charleston in the second game of the season, Vanterpool got hot — going for 24 and 30 the next two times out, kicking off a nine-game stretch in which he scored in double figures (four of which were 24+ point efforts).

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Picture courtesy of Buffalo Athletics

The same night Vanterpool and BC played into overtime, Ryan Sabol and Buffalo were in a battle of their own.

Buffalo fell behind by 15 points in the first half before surging back for an 85-79 victory. At the heart of the comeback was a scorching shooting night from Sabol.

Sabol’s Stat Line: 32 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 35 minutes, 9-18 FG, 7-14 3PT, 7-8 FT

Sabol set the tone for his season with a big-time night against a Southern Miss team that would eventually finish 19-16 on the year.

His 32 points set a career high, while his seven made 3-pointers matched a career best. His two makes inside the arc were high difficulty — an and-1 on a drive early in the first half and a closely contested fadeaway just inside the arc. His two misses inside the arc came on a missed layup and a tough baseline jumper off the bounce.

Buffalo led 78-77 with 45 seconds left when Sabol buried a catch-and-shoot three to help close it out.

Obviously, this was a big-time scoring effort for Sabol.

We’ll continue this series throughout the offseason, featuring Friars and more newcomers to the Big East.