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On Another Level: RJ Luis Jr. drops 30 on Villanova at The Mecca

With the lights bright, and pressure turned up a notch, RJ Luis Jr. stepped up for the Red Storm on Saturday night at MSG - Image Credit: St. John's Men's Basketball

NEW YORK, NY — In the world of College Basketball, big game players make game-defining plays. 

RJ Luis Jr. of the St. John’s Red Storm, with the pressure turned up a notch, was the latest example Saturday evening at Madison Square Garden.

The star of Saturday night: RJ Luis Jr. speaks to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein after the Red Storm’s win over Villanova – Image Credit: St. John’s Men’s Basketball

Not solely for his impressive 30 point-10 rebound performance in an 80-68 win over Villanova, resulting in Luis Jr. becoming the first Johnnie since Julian Champagnie in 2022 to achieve a 30-10 game — but more so, the Dominican-Ecuadorian junior guard’s determination, toughness and willingness to give it his all for a Red Storm victory, especially throughout the second half. 

While leading 36-31 at halftime, shortly after St. John’s witnessed Deivon Smith go down with an apparent right-shoulder injury following a first half scoring surge of 12 points from Smith, Luis Jr. knew his role would enlarge massively for the final 20 minutes of regulation. 

And it was the same plan sought out by head coach Rick Pitino, who revealed in the postgame that he told Luis Jr. and the team during the early goings of the second half, “‘if you don’t pick this up, we’re not winning this game. So go back in. You got to pick this thing up.’” 

Rick Pitino and the Red Storm during a timeout in the second half of Saturday night’s game vs. Villanova at MSG – Image Credit: St. John’s Men’s Basketball

With that in mind, paired to just seven first half points and one board — the former transfer from UMass attempted to slow his game down and control the pace by maneuvering and forcing his way into the paint. What came of it was 23 second-half points, and nine rebounds to raise his game-totals to — 30 points (6-15 FG, 2-6 3PT, 16-20 FT), 10 rebounds, one assist and most importantly, the game-defining play on a loose ball in crunch-time, where Luis Jr. successfully gained possession after diving alongside Villanova’s Eric Dixon for the steal. 

“I get going when I start on the defensive end, it’s really just trying to make plays and just play hard,” Luis Jr. said of his Saturday night superstar performance. “The ball kind of finds me, and I just try to be aggressive and attack the glass on both sides of the floor.”

RJ Luis Jr., born and raised in Miami, Florida, was made for the bright lights of New York City – Image Credit: St. John’s Men’s Basketball

Despite Luis Jr.’s self motivation, and pep-talk from Pitino in the second half, a ‘sea of red’ filling into The Mecca, most definitely helped guide the Johnnies in securing the win — their third in a row, fifth in BIG EAST play this season, and 14th on the year (14-3, 5-1 in BIG EAST play). 

Approximately 18,178 fans in the building — the second largest crowd at MSG under the Pitino Era, just behind the Red Storm’s 2024 BIG EAST regular season matchup vs. the UConn Huskies on February 3rd, 2024. 

St. John’s is 5-1 in BIG EAST play for the first time since 2000-2001 – Image Credit: St. John’s Men’s Basketball

“I love it,” Luis Jr. stated, describing what it was like to play in front of the electric Red Storm crowd. “I feel like the whole ‘New Era’ campaign that we are doing is happening and people are starting to see what type of program we are and what Coach Pitino is doing in his second year. Everybody knows analytically what [Coach Pitino] does and what he means to the program. I think it was great. I feel like the energy was rocking, it was jumping…

I just want to continue and have the fans keep coming out and supporting us. We need all the energy we can get.”

The Red Storm will look to carry their momentum from Saturday’s win to Tuesday as St. John’s faces Georgetown next – Image Credit: St. John’s Men’s Basketball

The next chance for fans to come out and support St. John’s Men’s Basketball is this coming Tuesday, January 14th, as the Red Storm hosts the Georgetown Hoyas (12-4, 3-2 in BIG EAST play) at The Garden. 

Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM ET on Peacock with tickets still available at St. John’s Men’s Basketball Ticket Information

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