VCU G Johnson doubtful for NCAA opener

Virginia Commonwealth shooting guard Melvin Johnson is listed as doubtful with a sprained knee for the fifth-seeded Rams’ NCAA Tournament South Regional opener against No. 12 seed Stephen F. Austin on Thursday in San Diego.

The sophomore was injured in an Atlantic 10 tournament semifinal game against George Washington last weekend. Without him, VCU lost in the A-10 final to Saint Joseph’s.

Johnson, who averages 10.5 points per game off the bench, is considered VCU’s best long-range shooter. He hit 39.5 percent of his attempts from behind the arc this season.

If VCU advances to the round of 32 against either fourth-seeded UCLA or 13th-seeded Tulsa, it remains uncertain whether Johnson will be able to return.

“We’ll know more on Thursday,” VCU coach Shaka Smart told CBSSports.com.