
13 CREIGHTON
Time stood stillfor the Bluejays during the second week of practice. Trying to split a pair oftrapping defenders, senior guard Nate Funk (left) fell squarely on his leftshoulder--the one that had undergone season-ending surgery last January. "Iwaited for a second, but it didn't hurt," Funk says. "That's when Irealized I didn't have to worry about it."
Funk's recoveryhas everyone at Creighton breathing more easily. Last fall, the 6'3"sharpshooter was named the Missouri Valley Conference's preseason player of theyear, but he dislocated his shoulder in the fourth game. After successfullypetitioning the NCAA to grant him a fifth year of eligibility, Funk, who ledthe Bluejays in scoring (17.0 points per game) and rebounding (5.1) in2004--05, rejoins a team that went 20--10 last season and has four startersback.
Funk will handlemost of the playmaking, while sophomore point guard Josh Dotzler recovers froma knee injury. (Dotzler is likely to return in late December.) The biggestdifference between this team and the one Funk played on two years ago is theemergence of 6'9" senior center Anthony Tolliver, who was named the MVC'smost improved player in '05--06 after tripling his points per game (to 13.2)and leading the team in boards (6.7) and blocks (1.6).
For Funk, theonly thing harder than sitting out last season was seeing the Bluejays barelymiss an NCAA bid, then watching two of the team's conference rivals reach theSweet 16. "In the past Creighton set the bar for the Valley," Funksays, "but Wichita State and Bradley set it last year. Now it's up to us tomeet it."
STARTINGLINEUP
COACH: Dana Altman (13th year)
6'1"Soph.6.4 ppg4.2 apg--KEY RESERVE-- G-F Pierce HIBMA 6'4" Jr. 3.5 ppg 2.2 rpg
RETURNINGSTARTER *2004--05 STATS
SCHEDULE
Nov. 13Mississippi Valley State
Nov. 18 atNebraska
Nov. 25 GeorgeMason
Nov. 29Arkansas--Pine Bluff
Dec. 6 atDayton
Dec. 9Xavier
Dec. 16 atFresno State
Dec. 21Valparaiso*
Dec. 30 MissouriState
Jan. 1 IllinoisState
Jan. 4 atIndiana State
Jan. 6 atEvansville
Jan. 9 Drake
Jan. 12 atNorthern Iowa
Jan. 15 atWichita State
Jan. 18Bradley
Jan. 20 SouthernIllinois
Jan. 24 atMissouri State
Jan. 27 IndianaState
Jan. 31 atBradley
Feb. 3 atDrake
Feb. 7Evansville
Feb. 10 atSouthern Illinois
Feb. 13 NorthernIowa
Feb. 17 TBA†
Feb. 20 atIllinois State
Feb. 24 WichitaState
*RainbowClassic, Honolulu †ESPN Bracket Buster
ILLUSTRATION
PHOTO
MANNY MILLAN