FSU Men’s Basketball At A Glance: The Ferris State University men’s basketball team will host Saginaw Valley State this Thursday (Feb. 12) for a 8 p.m. (EST) Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) outing at FSU’s Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. Ferris will then visit Lake Superior State Saturday (Feb. 14) with GLIAC tipoff set for 3 p.m. (EST) in LSSU’s James Norris Gymnasium at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Ferris In Second: FSU is presently 8-13 overall and holds a second-place 8-4 mark behind Michigan Tech (10-2) in the GLIAC’s North Division. Three of Ferris’ final six outings this campaign are at home. The Bulldogs have won five of their last eight outings to date this season. Ferris can automatically clinch its first GLIAC Tournament berth in six seasons with two victories this weekend.

Bulldogs Drop Two Games: The Bulldogs fell at nationally-ranked Michigan Tech 71-55 last Thursday (Feb. 5) in Houghton, Mich. Ferris then dropped a 79-73 decision to Northern Michigan Sunday (Feb. 8) at Marquette, Mich. Both Ferris and MTU were tied for first-place in the GLIAC’s North Division prior to Thursday’s game. The Huskies were ranked 14th nationally in the latest (Feb. 3) National Association of Basketball Coaches/Division II Bulletin Top 25 poll.

Leading The FSU Charge: Senior guard Willie Thomas (Columbus, Ohio/Eastmoor Academy) and freshman forward Michael Daniels (Detroit/Murray-Wright) both scored 14 points apiece at MTU. Daniels then tallied a team-high 15 points versus the Wildcats. Junior forward Willie Burrel (Muskegon Heights) added 13 points in both games.

Last Season: Ferris State concluded the 2002-03 campaign with an 11-15 overall mark and a fourth-place 7-11 GLIAC North Division finish. Both Ferris’ overall record and league finish represented the program’s best marks since the Bulldogs finished 21-12 overall and claimed the 1997-98 GLIAC Tournament championship.

The Bulldog Tradition: The 2003-04 campaign marks the 76th season of Bulldog men’s basketball. The program began in 1925 although Ferris did not field a team from 1942-45 due to World War II. FSU has compiled a 886-835 (.515) all-time mark. The Bulldogs have won nine GLIAC titles, made six NCAA Division II Tournament appearances and reached the 1988 NCAA-II Elite Eight. Ferris captured a league-record four consecutive GLIAC titles from 1986-90.

Head Coach Bill Sall: A 1994 Calvin graduate, second-year FSU head coach Bill Sall previously held assistant coaching positions at Calvin (1992-95), Ferris State (1995-98) and Hillsdale (1998-02) prior to being named Ferris State’s 11th head coach. The Zeeland, Mich., native served as Ferris’ interim head coach for a portion of the 1995-96 campaign and led the Bulldogs to a 5-8 mark. Before joining the coaching ranks, Sall was a standout player at Calvin from 1985-90. He twice (1989-90) received second-team National Association of Basketball Coaches Division III All-America honors and led Calvin to three MIAA championships, four NCAA-III Tournament bids and the 1990 NCAA-III Final Four. Sall has a current 24-36 (.400) career mark.

Ticket Information: Individual game tickets to all FSU home basketball games can be obtained at the door or by calling the Bulldog Athletics Ticket Office at (231) 591-2888. Adult tickets are $7 and student tickets are $5. A family pass can be purchased for $15. Ferris State faculty/staff ticket prices are $5. FSU students are admitted free of charge by showing their student identification card.

At Jim Wink Arena: Ferris has recorded a 17-35 (.327) overall record to date in home contests at Jim Wink Arena, including a 12-30 (.286) mark in league play. The 2,400-seat facility replaced the Old Jim Wink Arena, which was converted into the current Student Recreation Center after the 1997-98 campaign.

On The Road: FSU is 344-304 (.531) overall since 1980-81 and sports a 162-208 (.438) record in road/neutral site contests during that span. Ferris has posted a 3-8 (.273) road mark to date this season.

A Look At The Roster: Ferris’ 2003-04 roster includes two seniors, four juniors, two sophomores and six freshmen. Seven of the 14 players are guards while the remaining seven are frontcourt players. Twelve players hail from Michigan while two are from Ohio.

Between The Lines: “Between The Lines”, a weekly television program profiling Ferris State University Athletics, airs across northern Michigan on WFQX-Fox 33 every Saturday at 3:30 p.m. (ET). The 30-minute program is hosted by Phill Mooney and produced in the studios of the University’s cable Channel 7. FSU men’s basketball head coach Bill Sall will make appearances throughout the season. The show is also aired locally on the University's cable Channel 7 every Tuesday (7 p.m.) and Wednesday (8 p.m.).

FSU On The Internet: Ferris State University Athletics’ official web site can be found at www.ferris.edu/sports. The site features information on all of FSU’s varsity athletics programs including rosters, statistics and more. The Bulldogs’ 2003-04 yearbook is also available online.

GLIAC Games On The Air: Ferris’ 2003-04 league games will be carried live by local radio station WBRN-1460 AM. Selected league contests can also be accessed live this season via the internet by clicking the Bulldog Athletics Webcasts icon at www.ferris.edu/sports.

A Look At FSU: Ferris returns seven letterwinners and four starters from last season, including senior co-captains Willie Thomas and Nathan Wruble (Harbor Beach). The Bulldogs’ biggest loss was 6-10 center Adam Anderson, who is presently playing in Egypt. The two-time team MVP was also a three-time All-GLIAC pick.

FSU Picked Fourth: Ferris was picked to finish fourth in the 2003-04 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll. The Bulldogs totaled 17 points in the balloting by the GLIAC’s head coaches. Northern Michigan was selected as the GLIAC North Division favorite with five first-place votes and 35 total points while Findlay took the top spot in the South Division with 25 points.

Bulldog Bites: Willie Thomas presently has 143 career made three-point field goals and tied Joe Blankenship (143; 1991-93) for second place among the school's all-time leaders at Northern Michigan. Thomas, who had his 18-game double-figure scoring streak snapped by the Wildcats, currently has 74 treys this campaign and surpassed Blankenship's (1992-93) school single-season mark of 72 three-pointers versus Michigan Tech .......... FSU's eight GLIAC victories to date this campaign are the school's most since posting a fourth-place 10-8 conference record during the 1997-98 campaign ........ Sophomore guard Dennis Springs (Toledo, Ohio/Scott) presently has 277 career assists and needs 18 more to tie Randy Ross (295; 1977-80) for sixth place among the school's all-time leaders. Springs, who has led FSU in assists each of the last 10 outings this season, is four points away from garnering his 500th career point ............. Michael Daniels has scored 10 points or more in six of his last seven games to date ....... Willie Burrel’s 13 points and seven rebounds at MTU were both personal career-bests. He also tallied 13 points at NMU while recording his 100th career point ........... Junior guard Carlton Epps (Benton Harbor) presently has 830 career points and is 67 points shy of tying Aaron Nauta (897; 1996-00) for 25th place on the school's all-time scoring list. He has 119 career three-point field goals to date and is four away from matching Leon Larthridge (123; 1989-91) for sixth place on the school’s all-time list ....... Junior guard Corey Epps (Benton Harbor) needs three rebounds to attain his 200th career board ....... FSU’s loss at MTU was the Bulldogs' sixth-straight loss in MTU's Student Development Complex Gymnasium. The Bulldogs last registered a win in Houghton during the 1997-98 GLIAC Tournament.

Looking Ahead: Ferris will visit rival Grand Valley State Monday, Feb. 16, for a 8 p.m. (EST) conference encounter in Allendale, Mich. The Bulldogs will then battle Northwood Saturday, Feb. 21, in a 7:30 p.m. (EST) league tilt at Midland, Mich.

A Look At The Opponents:

Saginaw Valley State: Ferris holds a 39-27 lead heading into this Thursday’s 67th series meeting and defeated SVSU 88-76 in the last meeting (12/13/03) at University Center, Mich. Saginaw Valley State is currently 8-14 overall and 2-11 in league play following last Wednesday’s (Feb. 4) 78-68 conference loss at Northwood. The Cardinals, under sixth-year head coach Dean Lockwood, were 13-14 overall in 2002-03 and recorded a fourth-place tying 7-11 GLIAC North Division mark. SVSU, which was picked to finish sixth in the 2003-04 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll, is led in scoring by junior guard/forward Anthony Parker (20.5 ppg) and has lost 10 consecutive games to date this campaign. Ferris has won three of the last five series’ meetings while FSU head coach Bill Sall presently holds a 2-1 career coaching mark against SVSU.

Lake Superior State: The Bulldogs maintain a 66-42 lead entering this Saturday’s 109th series meeting. LSSU has won five of the last seven contests although Ferris has claimed the last two games and posted an 88-65 win in the most recent meeting (12/11/03) at Big Rapids (Mich.) High School. Lake Superior State, which has lost two-straight outings to date, is presently 8-15 overall and 1-12 in league play after Monday’s (Feb. 9) 79-67 GLIAC home loss versus Grand Valley State. The Lakers, who are coached by first-year head coach Mike Fitzner, were 12-15 overall during the 2002-03 campaign and compiled a sixth-place 6-12 GLIAC North Division record. LSSU, which is led in scoring by junior forward Scott Jamison (15.1 ppg), was picked to finish seventh in the 2003-04 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll. Sall currently is 2-1 all-time versus LSSU.