FERRIS STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL ENTERS NATIONAL RANKINGS
Bulldogs Garner First National Ranking Since 1989 This Week
The Ferris State University men's basketball team entered the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC)/Division II Bulletin Top 25 Poll in the 24th spot this week, marking the school's first national ranking since the 1988-89 campaign.
The Bulldogs, who are currently 19-5 overall and hold a first-place tying 11-5 mark in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division, are one of two league schools ranked in the latest poll released Tuesday (Feb. 22) along with third-ranked Findlay. The Oilers previously held the top spot in last week's poll.
Ferris State, which has won its last eight consecutive outings to date this campaign, had not been ranked prior to this week since holding down the number one spot in the final poll of the 1988-89 season on March 6, 1989. This week's national listing represents the 18th time the program has been ranked in the Division II poll.
Bowie State (Md.) holds the top position in this week's rankings followed by Kennesaw State (Ga.), Findlay, Metropolitan State (Colo.) and Southern Indiana in the top five. Ferris received 20 points in this week's poll after previously being listed among other teams receiving votes seven different times this campaign.
FSU, which was ranked third in last week's (Feb. 16) NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Rankings, will travel to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula this weekend for two league road contests. FSU visits Northern Michigan Thursday, Feb. 24, for a 7:30 p.m. (EST) game in Marquette, Mich. The Bulldogs will then conclude the regular-season Saturday, Feb. 26, versus Michigan Tech in a 3 p.m. (EST) contest at Houghton, Mich.
Ferris, which claimed the 2003-04 GLIAC North Division title, could repeat as the divisional champions depending upon this week’s results. Several possible scenarios exist entering the final two games of the regular-season with both Ferris & Grand Valley State (11-5) presently tied atop the division and still in the title hunt.
The Bulldogs can finish no lower than second in the league’s North Division based on the GLIAC’s tiebreaker formula and will host a GLIAC Tournament quarterfinal round home game Tuesday, March 1, beginning at 7 p.m. (EST) in FSU's Jim Wink Arena at Big Rapids, Mich.
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