ISU guard Seanna Johnson’s short-term future on the court is in limbo while the team is evaluating her knee injury that she sustained during the weekend. 

ISU coach Bill Fennelly said it’s going to be a game-time decision to let her play in Iowa State’s (11-7, 3-4 Big 12) Wednesday night game against TCU (11-8, 3-5 Big 12) at Hilton Coliseum.

He added that Johnson was evaluated Tuesday afternoon, and the team would have a better idea of her status by Tuesday night. 

“[The doctor’s] going to evaluate her today, let her do some jogging, get her in the pool,” Fennelly said. “[She’ll] probably go to shootaround tomorrow. [We’ll] probably see all of the reports and then we’ll make a decision.”

Johnson fell to the court, clutching her left knee, after going up for a rebound in Iowa State’s 77-61 loss to No. 4 Baylor on Saturday. She was helped off of the court by two trainers who were heavily supporting her, but she returned in the fourth quarter for about a minute and a half of game action.

Fennelly eventually took her out of the game, saying she “practically put herself in.” 

After the post-game press conference, Johnson said her knee was sore but fine. She had a brace at the bottom of her left leg and a bag of ice around the knee.

Johnson’s teammates said she insisted that she was going to play Wednesday, but the decision will come down to the coaching staff and the doctors, Fennelly said.

“She told us she was playing Wednesday night no matter what,” said guard Bridget Carleton.

The looming decision that the team will make about Johnson’s availability against TCU brings with it two implications: Johnson’s long-term future in basketball, if she were to injure the knee any worse, and the team’s lack of replacements.

“It’s not just about one game,” Fennelly said. “She’s having a great year, and we’ve got to protect that. And I think she’s got a chance to play basketball beyond Iowa State. It’s incumbent on all of us.

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

If Johnson misses Wednesday night’s game, Fennelly said it’s going to be up to guard Emily Durr to take the extra minutes. Durr took an extra load when guard Jadda Buckley was dealing with foot issues in December.

Durr’s extra playing time will have to be paired with an increase in production from some of the team’s key players — Buckley, Bridget Carleton and Meredith Burkhall — for the team to have to even muster a shell of Johnson’s production. 

“Other players have got to play,” Fennelly said. “That’s the nature of being a Division I athlete. Other players are going to have to play better than they have been. Other players are going to have to play more minutes. There’s nothing you can do about it. No one feels sorry for you.”

TCU will come to Ames on Wednesday night for Iowa State’s second home game in its three-game home stand. The Cyclones enter the game riding a three-game losing streak.

Even if Johnson doesn’t take the court, the Cyclones know how crucial the game is for the rest of the Big 12 regular season. 

“I think we will get our confidence back if we win, especially after these three losses,” Carleton said. “We’ll all have to step up — everyone on the floor.”