Villanova Point Guard Devin Askew to Miss Regular Season Games

Villanova transfer point guard Devin Askew missed the team’s season tip-off event because of a right knee sprain suffered during practice. While the initial report was that Askew would return in time for Villanova Men’s Basketball’s season opener against BYU, head coach Kevin Willard said during the Wildcats’ media day on Wednesday, Oct. 1 that he now expects Askew to miss games because of the injury.

“He’s gonna probably miss some time, but I think  what’s been great with Dev is he’s really taking [freshmen guards] Acaden [Lewis] and Chris [Jeffrey] under his wing, and trying to help them when they’ve struggled in practice, when they’ve done good in practice. So Dev’s been a great leader, even though he hasn’t been on the floor,” Willard said. “He’s progressing just the way we hoped he would be. When he comes back? Everyone’s body heals differently, but Dev’s progressing great.”

Slowing Their Roll

Willard also spoke to how Askew’s absence will impact the Wildcats’ tempo — a major point of emphasis for him during offseason media appearances. Askew, who played at Long Beach State last season, is a 6-foot-5 super senior who put up 18.9 points and 4.5 assists per game while running the point. However, Willard noted that having Askew on the sidelines won’t impact his signature defensive aggression.

“I don’t think we’re going to play quite as fast until Devin gets back. Dev was going to be kind of a little bit of an anchor on that, because he played fast for three years in college, so he kind of understood,” Willard said of the Wildcats’ tempo. “I think with freshman guards, you’ve just got to make sure you play at a tempo that makes sure that you give them the best ways to make the best decisions.”

For a related story, here’s how Devin Askew’s veteran experience could help the Wildcats on and off the court this season.