By Marissa Essenburg | Sports Writer
Less than two days before Baylor opened NCAA Tournament play, freshman guard Marcayla Johnson suffered a torn ACL in practice Wednesday and will miss the remainder of the postseason. Johnson announced the injury Friday via social media.
The 6-foot guard had begun to find her rhythm late in the season, scoring a combined 21 points in Baylor’s final two home games while playing some of her best basketball of the season.
A Tulsa native, Johnson quickly carved out a role as a key piece off the bench, often serving as one of the first substitutions and providing energy, defense and versatility in crucial moments.
“This definitely isn’t how I pictured experiencing the NCAA Tournament, but I’m still excited to cheer on my teammates from the sidelines,” Johnson said in her post.
“We needed scoring, and I thought she stepped up,” head coach Nicki Collen said following Baylor’s final regular-season game. “Once she made one, that’s kind of the kid she is — once she makes one, the basket gets bigger. So it’s been fun to watch her get over the freshman hump that a lot of kids hit.”
Despite her youth, Johnson’s impact did not go unnoticed by her teammates.
“I’m always proud of her,” senior forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs said. “She’s such a hard worker, she wants to get better — it’s kind of like seeing a young me and Bella. She’s doing amazing whether she sees it or not. I love playing with her. If you want somebody to go get it, she’s the person. She listens, she cares and I love Marcayla. She’s going to be great for us down the stretch and in the years to come.”
With surgery expected in the coming weeks, a timetable for Johnson’s return has not yet been announced. It also remains unclear whether she will redshirt her sophomore season.
