After spending the last week in Minnesota with her father, who suffered a stroke last weekend, ISU guard Seanna Johnson rejoined the ISU women’s basketball team on Monday. 

Johnson missed two games, and the team went 0-2 in her absence. 

Johnson said she’s excited to be back with the team prior to Tuesday night’s game against West Virginia — Senior Night — but she’s tired, understandably. 

“It’s been rough,” Johnson said. 

While at the hospital with her father, Johnson watched the games on television with her family. She said it was tough to be away from the team, but her teammates were supportive. 

“We have a group message, so we always talk,” Johnson said. “If it wasn’t every day, it was almost every other day. We always are there to support each other.”

After a tough week with family, Johnson said hitting the court will be a welcome change. She wanted to come back last Wednesday to play against TCU. Johnson planned to drive to Ames for the night and drive back to Minnesota the same night. 

ISU coach Bill Fennelly told her to stay. 

She didn’t travel with the team to Norman, Okla., for the team’s Saturday game against Oklahoma. Her decision to play Tuesday, though, stemmed from the fact that it’s senior night. 

“[Playing] will take my mind off of it,” Johnson said. “I wanted to get back as soon as possible. I didn’t want to leave my teammates hanging.”

As Johnson entered the team clubhouse at the Sukup Basketball Facility on Monday, the team welcomed Johnson with open arms. 

“Everybody jumped and screamed,” Johnson said. “It was pretty nice.”

Johnson has put up an All-Big 12-type season so far, sitting fourth in scoring and second in rebounding in the Big 12. She’s also second in the conference in double-doubles with 13. 

Tuesday night will mark the final home game of the season for the Cyclones as they take on the Mountaineers. 

“It’s good to have her back,” Fennelly said. “Hopefully it will help her move on with some of the things in her life. We’ll see how she does in practice. I have no big expectations of what she can do or can’t do. But it’s always nice to have your team together.”