Devin Askew has battled back from an offseason knee injury and looked sharp as ever in Villanova’s 94-60 win over Sacred Heart on Tuesday night.
He scored 27 points in the victory, and now the grad transfer from Long Beach State is looking to stay on a roll when the Wildcats host Duquesne Saturday.
Askew connected on seven of Villanova’s school-record 22 3-pointers in the win and is feeling good about his continued progression.
“It felt amazing to get my legs back under me and provide for the team,” Askew said in a postgame press conference.
Askew had scored just five points in the previous two games but feels he is headed in the right direction after a big night.
“Day by day. I’m getting better every day,” Askew said.
Villanova (2-1) welcomes a Duquesne team that seeks its first 4-0 start since the 2019-20 season.
The Dukes survived Queens 87-81 in overtime on Tuesday night behind 27 points and 11 rebounds from John Hugley IV.
For Duquesne, its latest win was its first big test of the year.
“That was our first time in a close game this early in the season,” head coach Dru Joyce III said after the win. “It wasn’t easy and they had the momentum. We continued to fight and make some plays.”
Villanova also played Queens this season, winning 94-74 last Saturday. The Wildcats are led this season by Bryce Lindsay, who is averaging 24.7 points per outing.
Duke Brennan (11.7), Askew (10.7), Matt Hodge (10.3) and Acaden Lewis (10.0) are also averaging in double figures. Brennan is a dominant force on the boards as well, grabbing 15.3 rebounds per contest.
Villanova averages 84.7 points per game as a team and had made only 14 3-pointers before burying 22 in the win over Sacred Heart.
Duquesne has scored more than 80 points in its first three games and Hugley leads the squad with his 19.7 points per game average. He’s grabbing nine boards per contest as well.
Tarence Guinyard is averaging 18 points per game. Jimmie Wiliams and Maximus Edwards both average 10 points per outing.
