South Carolina's Staley gets question on injured Johnson, goes right to the source for answer

Updated Nov. 19, 2024 5:09 p.m. ET

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina coach Dawn Staley went straight to the source when asked if injured guard Tessa Johnson would play at Clemson on Wednesday night.

Staley turned around and shouted to her sophomore guard, “Tessa, what's your status for tomorrow?”

Johnson, who had missed the past two games with an ankle injury, shouted back to her coach, “I'm playing.”

Staley turned back to the media, shrugged and said, “There you go,” before breaking into a smile.

Johnson was hurt in a win over then-No. 9 N.C. State on Nov. 10. She scored 15 points in South Carolina's season-opening 68-62 victory over Michigan on Nov. 4.

Johnson, a 6-foot guard from Albertville, Minnesota, led the Gamecocks in the NCAA Tournament championship game with 19 points in an 87-75 win over Iowa last April.

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