Villanova's Devin Askew and coach Kevin Willard speak at Friday's postgame press conference after an 87-73 win over Providence. Askew is shooting 46 percent from three-point range this season. (Photo: Aaron Bracy)
By AARON BRACY
Big5Hoops.com
January 31, 2026
VILLANOVA, Pa. – Devin Askew feels comfortable and confident in coach Kevin Willard’s offense at Villanova, and the results have been eye-opening.
Willard loved Askew’s maturity when he recruited the veteran guard through the transfer portal after previous stops at Kentucky, Texas, Cal, and Long Beach State. And while Askew has provided plenty of scoring over his career, he entered the Main Line as just a 35.2 percent career shooter in 130 collegiate games.
Suddenly, Askew has become lights-out from long range, something that has been a big part of both his and the Wildcats’ surprising success this season.
Askew led Villanova with 20 points in Friday’s 87-73 win over Providence at Finneran Pavilion that lifted the Wildcats to 16-5 overall and 7-3 in the Big East. With 10 regular-season games remaining, seven of which Villanova likely will be favored, the Wildcats are in great shape to end their three-year NCAA tournament drought. And Askew is a big reason why.
“Huge,” Willard said when asked of Askew’s importance to the Wildcats. “That’s why we brought him here. This is the type of player he is. I just loved his maturity (in the recruiting process). He’s just a terrific, terrific person. He’s getting rewarded for being a hard worker and terrific person.”
He’s also been a terrific shooter.
Askew made five more three-pointers against the Friars, on eight attempts, upping his season average from beyond the arc to 46.0 percent (40 of 87). He is a scorching 58.6 percent (17 of 29) from deep in the last six contests.
“I got a great coach,” he said. “Lets me let it fly.”
Askew is averaging 10.5 points on the season and 15.8 in his last six games.
Part of Askew’s progression this season, both the player and coach said, lies in the fact that he is finally feeling healthy after an offseason knee injury sidelined him for all of September and October.
Now, it’s just a matter of using his offensive skills and attacking defenses from the opening tip—something Askew has done, especially lately, and plans to continue to work to improve even more.
“I feel really good out there, but just like always I still got some work to do,” he said. “Still gotta get better every day.”
AROUND THE BIG 5
–Drexel (12-11 overall, 6-4 in Coastal Athletic Association): Kevon Vanderhorst’s buzzer-beating layup lifted Drexel to a thrilling 61-60 win over North Carolina A&T on Saturday at the DAC.
It has been an amazing turnaround by coach Zach Spiker and staff. After an 0-3 start in league play, the Dragons have won 6 of 7 and find themselves in third place in the CAA after being picked to finish 10th of 13 teams in the preseason poll.
Reminder: Drexel lost four would-be returners to Providence, Indiana, Butler, and Florida State.
Shane Blakeney had a team-high 19 points against NC A&T and leads the Dragons in scoring at 13.3 points per contest. Drexel is getting solid contributions from nine players as Spiker and his talented staff continue to show their aptitude for developing players.
At this rate, no one is going to want to see the Dragons at the conference tournament in Washington, D.C.
Up next: At Campbell on Thursday at 7 p.m.; At Elon on Saturday at Noon.
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–La Salle (7-15 overall, 3-6 Atlantic 10): After their impressive 67-64 home win over Dayton on January 21, the Explorers fizzled this week with Wednesday’s 64-58 defeat at Fordham and Saturday’s 67-58 home loss to St. Joe’s.
At Fordham, La Salle led 58-55 with 5:52 remaining but then didn’t score another point.
Against the Hawks, the Explorers played the tough, physical style they are making their brand. But they just couldn’t buy a shot from long range, finishing 3-for-19 (15.8 percent) from the arc. St. Joe’s scored 42 points from deep while La Salle scored 9. There’s your game.
Up next: At Loyola Chicago on Tuesday at 8 p.m.; At Saint Louis at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
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–Penn (10-10 overall, 3-4 Ivy League): The Quakers salvaged an important split of their weekend trip to Columbia and Cornell with Saturday evening’s 91-81 win over the Big Red that followed Friday’s 72-67 loss to the Lions.
Against Cornell, Michael Zanoni led six Quakers in double-figures with 19 points.
The win keeps Penn well within striking distance of fourth place in the Ivy League at the midway point of the regular season. The top four teams in the league qualify for the Ivy Madness postseason tournament, with the winner gaining the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Up next: Host Princeton on Saturday at 2 p.m.
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–Saint Joseph’s (14-8 overall, 6-3 Atlantic 10): The Hawks continued their hot streak by sweeping the week, following Tuesday’s impressive 85-64 win at Loyola Chicago with Saturday’s 67-58 victory at La Salle on Saturday.
After an 0-2 start in league play, it’s hard to imagine even the most ardent Hawks fans believing they would be in position for a double-bye in the Atlantic 10 tournament at this point. But that is exactly the case, as St. Joe’s enters this week in fourth place in the standings. The top four teams are automatically in the quarterfinals in the league tournament.
Derek Simpson’s play over the last seven games, six of which the Hawks have won, has stood out. He is averaging 18.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 7.1 assists, upping his season averages to 13.0 points and 4.7 assists.
The Explorers played St. Joe’s tough in the first half, but the hosts couldn’t stop Dasear Haskins, who had 20 points in the opening 20 minutes. The Hawks methodically pushed the lead to a commanding 15 points midway through the second half.
Up next: Host George Washington on Wednesday at 7 p.m.; At George Mason on Saturday at 4 p.m.
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–Temple (14-8 overall, 6-3 American): The Owls followed Wednesday’s 80-76 overtime loss at home to Charlotte by eking out a 79-78 home victory over a very good South Florida team on Saturday night. Mohamed Keita tipped home the winning basket with six seconds remaining.
The win put Temple in a three-way tie for third place in the American and just a game behind first-place Charlotte.
Up next: At ECU on Saturday at Noon.
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Aaron Bracy has covered sports in Philadelphia for nearly three decades for various publications and as a freelancer for the Associated Press. His first book, A Soaring Season: The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003–04 Saint Joseph’s Hawks (Brookline), can be ordered HERE. He is working on his second book, which will chronicle the memorable 2000–01 season of Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers. It will be published in April 2027. Follow Bracy on social media HERE. Contact him at bracymedia@gmail.com.