Iowa State’s Seanna Johnson a game-time decision against TCU

AMES - Ask anyone on the Iowa State women's basketball team if Seanna Johnson will be good to go against TCU and most will say there isn't a doubt.

Johnson, they say, would will herself onto the court and play right in the thick of it with everybody else.

It might not be as clear-cut as that, though.

Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly said Johnson is a game-time decision to play against TCU stemming from a left knee injury she received in a loss to Baylor. She was expected to be evaluated Tuesday night and will have her status determined after the Cyclones' (11-7, 3-4) shootaround before Wednesday's 7 p.m. tipoff.

'It's not just about one game and she's having a great year. We want to make sure we protect that,” Fennelly said. 'I think she's got a chance to play basketball beyond Iowa State so it's incumbent on all of us. The health of the players is always the primary thing for everyone.

'Sure you'd love to have her in a game you need to play well and all that good stuff, but that decision will be made by the medical staff and her family.”

Johnson is Iowa State's leading scorer at 17.6 points per game with 9.8 rebounds and is fifth in the nation in double doubles with 12 this season. Jadda Buckley and Bridget Carleton also average double-figures scoring - 10.3 and 12.9 points per game - but trying to substitute Johnson's production will be a tall order.

'She obviously puts a lot of points on the board for us and a lot of rebounds so we'll have to make up for that,” Carleton said. 'Just being strong, attacking the basket and finishing. I think that's the biggest thing with most of us is just learning how to finish around the basket with contact against the bigger and taller post players in the Big 12. I think that's huge.”

Fennelly said if Johnson were unable to go, it would be a host of players that would have to play more minutes in her absence. Meredith Burkhall, who is averaging 7.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, would see her role grow along with Emily Durr, Claire Ricketts and Madi Baier off the bench.

Part of the increased production will rest with Buckley, who Fennelly said will have to take tougher shots on occasion to provide a spark usually filled by Johnson. Buckley is shooting better than 35 percent from the field and 3-point range and is an 83 percent free throw shooter, but against the Horned Frogs' (11-8, 3-5) pressure defense, she'll likely be called upon to create more of her own shot and work through contact.

'In the Big 12 you're not going to get an easy, wide-open shot that you can take your time,” Buckley said. 'I think just focusing on still taking a good shot, but you're going to have to take tough shots that maybe aren't comfortable. I think I've just got to work on that.”

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