St. John's basketball: 5 biggest takeaways exiting loss against UConn

2. RJ Luis is a Serious Difference Maker

There has been a lot of hype surrounding RJ Luis since he arrived in Queens from UMass this summer.

Many have said he's the best pro prospect on the roster and it's easy to see why when he's on the floor -- but that has been the problem. He hasn't been on the floor.

Luis suffered a broken hand in practice on October 1 that prevented him from making his season debut until November 25 against Holy Cross when he finished with 14 points, four rebounds, an assist, and three steals on 6-of-12 shooting and the hype only grew.

However, chronic shin splints flared up that sidelined him for another month, but he made his return against the Huskies and he impressed once again.

Despite being on a minutes restriction, Luis played 18 minutes and ended the night with six points, three rebounds, and two steals. There was obvious rust to knock off offensively, but what has been undervalued is his athleticism and defensive skills.

Luis was jumping passing lanes, drawing fouls on the fast break, and showing a gear on the floor that not many other players on St. John's can get to.

It's critical that St. John's keeps RJ Luis healthy, because when he's on the floor the potential of the Red Storm goes to another level.