We are profiling each member of the 2011-12 Creighton women’s basketball team. Join us weekdays from now until the women’s exhibition opener against Rockhurst for an introduction to this year’s Bluejays, from freshmen to seniors.
See all of our 2011-12 Creighton women’s basketball profiles
Fujan will be expected to carry an extra load this season
McKenzie Fujan was an important weapon for the Bluejays last season as a freshman. She had a nice start to her career and came on strong by the end of the year.
In the first game of her career, she scored the first five points of the season to go with connecting on her first two field goal attempts. The Nebraska native came off the bench in all 29 games she appeared in last season and finished on a high note personally against Northwestern in the WNIT, scoring 7 points — her highest point total during the final 16 games of the season.
Playing a lot as a true freshman in any college sport is not easy. Although her numbers were not overwhelming, Fujan was an important part of the team, playing where she was needed at any time during the season. However, heading into the 2011-12 campaign, her confidence in her game as improved.
“I think I have slowed down a little bit. I think that I have developed more of a mid-range game, so I don’t have to go to the hoop every time,” Fujan said.
Fujan attributes a lot of this increased confidence to her teammates, and says she returns the favor.
“My team is really good this year. I have a lot of trust in them and that gives me confidence to do what I need to do. But, I think I give a lot to them because when I drive I have somewhere to go and I trust them to make a play.”
Fujan only shot 32% from the field last season. A lot of that could be attributed to nerves as a freshman, but this season there is a drive for McKenzie to work on her shooting.
“I need to improve my shooting a lot. Just being able to catch and shoot and not have to drive all the time,” Fujan said.
As she continues to work on her midrange game, Fujan knows she can complement the threat of players such as Jordan Garrison and Sammy Jensen on the outside.
“It is good for them to be the shooters on the outside. Then there is somewhere else to go. I can dribble drive and trust that they will hit those shots if I kick it out,” Fujan said.
The Bluejays are picked fourth in the preseason Missouri Valley Conference poll. Fujan says she won’t give a number to what place she thinks they’ll finish the season, but knows they’ll improve.
“I don’t want to put us in a place, but I think we will be young and there will be a lot of learning and growing during the season. I feel like we will get better as the season goes on.”