“Obviously it was her turn to get back and I thought she did a good job,” head coach Suzy Merchant said after the game. “Four assists, one turnover, she made her free throws when she needed to. It’s good to see her be out there and contribute”

With Wisconsin threatening a comeback late in the game, Johnson nailed a clutch jumper with 30 seconds left to push the lead to five, 70-65. She displayed her usual command of the ball and was a reason why six Spartans finished in double figures.

“I thought Kiana was big for us during that stretch too, she made some shots and got some stops, doing a much better job down the stretch than we had been at times,” Merchant said.

The Spartans did not struggle with Johnson’s absence on Sunday, but tonight, she showed why MSU is a step better with her on the court.

“It was good to have her out there,” said freshman guard Tori Jankoska, who started in Johnson’s place for the second straight game. “She really does balance us out and she has the ability to take control of the team, she has a calming presence, and when we get pressure, she knows what to do. She won’t turn the ball over and we can have trust in her to do that.”

Merchant said after the game that she’s still dissatisfied with the team’s play on offense. Too often, players are looking for their own shot, leading to out-of-sync play on that end of the court.

“We’ve become kinda one-hit wonders,” Merchant said. “We jack up shots, we don’t rebound in coverage… suddenly everyone becomes a one-on-one player. Everyone’s gotta do it themselves. That’s why putting Kiana in sometimes, at least you have one player that’s thinking ‘run offense,’ and not about shooting the ball all the time.”