John's RJ Luis Wins Big East Player of the Year as Team Eyes Tournament Glory

Luis becomes the first St. John's player in 39 years to win the honor, while Rick Pitino earns Coach of the Year after leading the team to a historic season.

RJ Luis Jr., a junior guard for St. John's, was named Big East Player of the Year, marking the first time a St. John's player has won the award since 1986.
Luis overcame significant injuries, including shin splints that required surgery, to become one of the top players in the conference, averaging 18.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.
Rick Pitino, in his first season as head coach, guided St. John's to its first outright Big East regular-season title in 40 years and was named Big East Coach of the Year.
St. John's, ranked sixth nationally, enters the Big East Tournament as the top seed and a favorite to win its first tournament title since 2000, with potential implications for NCAA Tournament seeding.
The team has shown resilience throughout the season, overcoming deficits and poor shooting performances, and looks to maintain its strong form heading into the postseason.