Johns' knee injury prompts day-to-day status, no major damage

There was no cry of pain. There was no crash on the floor.

But there she was. Pollyanna Johns, the star center on Michigan's women's basketball team, sitting on the sideline, watching her team beat Michigan State as she iced her left knee.

An MRI taken yesterday showed no significant damage - just a very small tear - to the knee. The injury, which did not affect the anterior cruciate ligament, will not require surgery.

"It's good news," Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "It could be scar tissue or a torn meniscus."

Johns will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis, and it is doubtful she will play in Friday's game at Wisconsin. In all likelihood, the best case scenario for the Wolverines will have Johns returning to practice at the beginning of next week.

MALLORY S.E. FLOYD/Daily Michigan center Pollyanna Johns tore some cartilage in her left knee against Michigan State. on Sunday. It is doubtful she will play in Friday's game at Wisconsin.

"She's a little upset," Guevara said, "but knowing Pollyanna, I expect her to work her tail off in rehab."

The fateful play was a routine one. With about five minutes left in the first half of Sunday's game, Johns jumped up to try to block a Spartan shot. She landed awkwardly on her left leg and heard a pop from the knee.

"I didn't even see it during the game," Guevara said. "I watched the tape this morning. I couldn't even find it on the tape, I just saw her limping a little around the court."

Almost no one saw the incident during the game. Johns got into foul trouble early on, and sat on the bench for a 10-minute stretch with two fouls. After re-entering the game, Johns came dangerously close to picking up a third foul just before the injury occurred. When she was taken out of the game, the general consensus on press row was that Johns was removed to make sure she avoided the third foul.

But when Johns reached the bench, she put a bag of ice on her knee, and stayed that way for the rest of the game.

Guevara is preparing for Friday's game as if Johns will not be able to play.

"We're going to change up the post defense," Guevara said. "We may look to double in the post or double on the guards, or maybe even throw in some junk defenses."

Losing Johns - albeit temporarily - changes the face of Michigan's lineup. With Johns, Michigan poses a fierce inside-outside threat to any opponent. As an All-Big Ten center who averages 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, Johns is usually double- or triple-teamed, making it easier for perimeter players such as Molly Murray and Ann Lemire to find open looks at the basket.

But that all changes when Johns leaves the lineup. Johns is one of just two true centers listed on Michigan's roster - the other is Katie Dykhouse, a seldom-used bench player.

Guevara plans on starting Tiffany Willard in Johns' place. Willard, a forward, averages 7.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, a far cry from Johns' numbers.

While Willard's large frame is intimidating on the court, she will not draw the extra defenders that Johns does. The guards will find it more difficult to find the open looks. Against a zone defense, they will likely have trouble driving, and Michigan's game will rely on its outside shooters.

This is what happened in the first half Sunday against Michigan State, when 17 of 35 shots were from beyond the arc.

"Our perimeter players did pretty darn well without Johns," Guevara said.

But can they continue to shoot more than 42 percent from 3-point range? Michigan's offense will likely live and die with its outside shooters.

Johns' absence will give some freshmen more playing time. Guevara plans on playing freshmen Dykhouse and Mandy Stowe much more until Johns returns.

Knee injuries are not new to Johns. Three years ago, she tore her ACL in the same knee in the last non-conference game of the season, and missed the final 18 games of the season. She has experienced no problems since then. This injury could be related to the earlier one.

The tear may be in scar tissue from the surgery to repair the torn ACL, or it may be in the meniscus. Doctors said they were unable to target the exact location because the tear was so small.

01-20-98