Villanova Takeaways: Passing, Secondary Scoring Key Dominant Win

The Villanova Wildcats obliterated the DePaul Blue Demons 100-56 at home on Saturday, Jan. 4, catapulting themselves ten spots up the NET rankings — and, for the moment, improving their NCAA Tournament chances.

While the Blue Demons got the short end of the stick after injuries to starting center David Skogman, who missed his third game in a row with a leg complaint, and starting point guard Conor Enright, who left early with a shoulder injury that kept him out for much of the rest of the game, here’s where the Wildcats succeeded in their authoritative win.

Shutting Down Passing Lanes

DePaul entered Saturday’s game as the 18th-best passing team in the nation, averaging 18.1 assists per game. They managed just eight against Villanova, however. Part of that stems from Enright’s absence, as he ranked sixth in the nation with 7.2 before his early exit weighed those numbers down, just as the lack of Skogman’s 6-foot-11 presence in the paint damaged DePaul’s spacing. Wildcats’ big man Enoch Boakye dominated down low, picking up 14 boards, three blocks and a steal in just 22 minutes.

Similarly, the lack of open looks limited DePaul’s success from beyond the arc. They entered Saturday’s game making 38.5 percent of three-point shots, good for No. 26 in the nation, but made just seven of 27 (25.9 percent) against the Wildcats. Once again, injuries played into Villanova’s hand, but credit due for capitalizing and not allowing secondary options to burn them.

Secondary Scoring Picks Up

At times this season, the Wildcats’ offense has turned into the Eric Dixon show. While he’s a phenomenal player, that doesn’t always help Villanova win. They’re at their best when secondary contributors step up, and that’s exactly what happened on Saturday. Jordan Longino set a career high with 19 points scored, going 5-for-5 from three (another career best), while redshirt freshman Kris Parker tied a career high with 11 points.

Parker only joined the Wildcats in August 2024, a late addition via the transfer portal, and broke his toe during the offseason, forcing an even later start on the court. The 6-foot-9 shooting guard has seen his minutes tick up in each of the past three games, however, and his defensive ability off the bench could help Villanova unlock another level of success.

The Wildcats set a season high with 24 assists, their efficient passing playing a key role in their scoring flurry, and they nailed 16 of 27 three-pointers as a result, one of their best shooting games of the season.

All Gas, No Brakes

Villanova kept up the scoring pressure for a full 40 minutes, never giving DePaul a chance to worm their way back into the game. The Wildcats’ shooting has run cold at times this season, pressuring them to force feed Dixon (as previously alluded) and allowing their opponents to begin a comeback… or put the final nail in their coffin.

Albeit in a Quad 3 matchup, this marked one of Villanova’s most complete efforts of the season. The Wildcats set the tone from the opening tipoff, holding DePaul without a field goal for the first six minutes and beginning on a 13-0 run. They then stomped the life out of the Blue Demons in the second half, shaking off any prayer of a comeback with a 14-0 scoring streak (as part of a broader 23-2 stretch).