FSU'S CARLTON EPPS RECOGNIZED AS GLIAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior Guard Attains North Division Honor For Third Time This Campaign
 | Bulldog senior guard Carlton Epps has earned GLIAC North Division Player of the Week kudos for the third time this season following his performance in leading FSU to two conference home victories last week at Jim Wink Arena |
Senior guard Carlton Epps (Benton Harbor) of the 2004-05 Ferris State University men's basketball team has been honored as this week's (Feb. 7) Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division Player of the Week for the third time this campaign after leading FSU to two league home victories last week.
The 6-2 Epps guided Ferris State to back-to-back wins over Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan by averaging 22 points, 3.5 rebounds, three assists and two steals per contest. Epps, who totaled 44 points and shot .464 (13-28) from the floor in the two-game stretch, registered 17 points, four rebounds and three assists in last Thursday's (Feb. 3) 65-62 win over MTU at FSU's Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. He then recorded a game-high 27 points along with three assists and three steals in Saturday's (Feb. 5) 80-75 triumph over the Wildcats. Epps was 13-of-14 (.929) from the charity stripe in the two games.
A three-time FSU Defensive Most Valuable Player Award winner, Epps became the 23rd player in school history to register 1,000 career points earlier this campaign. His selection this week represents the third time he has attained league award accolades this season following his previous selections on Nov. 29 and Jan. 3. He also earned the honor once last season (Jan. 12) besides being named to both the 2003-04 All-GLIAC North Division First Team and GLIAC North Division All-Defensive Team.
Epps, who presently ranks as the GLIAC's overall leading scorer (20.1 ppg) this campaign, has compiled a team leading 60 steals and is shooting 44.0% (70-159) from three-point range to date. He currently leads the conference in scoring (20.1 ppg), free throw percentage (.890), steals (2.90 spg) and made three-point field goals (3.40 pg) among all games this season. Epps also ranks as the school's all-time leader in career steals (235) and made three-pointers (208) to date.
In Monday night's (Feb. 7) 76-75 overtime home win over archrival Grand Valley State, Epps totaled 12 points and sent the game into overtime by converting a putback as the horn sounded in regulation. The win lifted FSU into a first-place tie with GVSU in the GLIAC North Division as both teams now have identical 8-5 league records.
Ferris State, which is presently 16-5 overall this campaign, continues its six-game homestand Thursday, Feb. 10, versus Lake Superior State. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. (EST). The Bulldogs will then square off against Saginaw Valley State Saturday, Feb. 12, in a 3 p.m. (EST) GLIAC home game.
|
