Devin Askew sparks Villanova to top sputtering Providence
Devin Askew scored 20 points and Tyler Perkins supplied 19 as Villanova waltzed to an 87-73 victory over visiting Providence in Big East action on Friday.
Askew went 5 of 8 from 3-point range, while Perkins made 3 of 6 from beyond the arc for Villanova (16-5, 7-3 Big East). Acaden Lewis contributed 12 points, eight assists and three steals for the Wildcats.
Stefan Vaaks scored 25 points to pace Providence (9-13, 2-9), which has lost seven of its last eight games, including two defeats to Villanova. Jaylin Sellers (16 points) and Ryan Mela (14) were the other double-digit scorers for the Friars.
Providence faced a 17-point deficit at halftime before whittling that margin down to 49-43 just over five and a half minutes into the second half. Vaaks fueled that push with three 3-pointers in the first three minutes of the half.
Perkins and Lewis combined to restore a double-digit lead for the Wildcats. The Friars made a pair of 3-pointers over the next several minutes, but each time Perkins answered with a triple of his own.
Villanova increased the lead to 72-52 and the Wildcats cruised from there, avoiding their first two-game skid of the season.
Villanova started to create some breathing room midway through the first half. With the score tied at 15-15, Askew hit a pair of 3-pointers during a 13-3 run. Lindsay finished the burst with his own 3-pointer to give the home team a 10-point lead.
Vaaks responded with a bucket for Providence before the Wildcats tacked on seven more points, starting with Matt Hodge's 3-pointer. Shortly thereafter, layups by Askew and Lewis bumped the lead to 35-20.
Sellers and Nilavan Daniels helped get the deficit down to 10, but Villanova countered with a 10-1 run that included six more points by Askew. The senior guard finished with 17 first-half points on 4-of-5 shooting from long range.
Mela's bucket in the final minute brought the Friars within 45-28 at the break. Vaaks and Sellers led Providence with eight points apiece in the opening 20 minutes.