FSU Men’s Basketball At A Glance: The Ferris State University men’s basketball team will visit Wayne State Saturday, Jan. 15, for a 3 p.m. (EST) Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) encounter at Detroit, Mich. FSU is currently 11-3 overall and 3-3 in league play this season.

GLIAC Games On Air: Saturday’s game will be carried live by local radio station WBRN-1460 AM with Rob Bentley providing the play by play coverage. It can also be accessed live via the internet by clicking on the Bulldog Athletics Webcasts icon at www.ferris.edu/sports.

Ticket Information: Tickets for Saturday’s game at WSU can be obtained by calling the Wayne State Athletics Office at (313) 577-4280. Individual game tickets to FSU regular-season 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.

Ferris Wins Home Outing: Ferris State shot 49.2% (31-63) from the field in posting an 82-69 league triumph over Hillsdale Tuesday (Jan. 11) in FSU's Jim Wink Arena at Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs were led offensively by senior guard Carlton Epps' (Benton Harbor) 19 points. Senior forward Willie Burrel (Muskegon Heights) scored 17 points, junior guard Dennis Springs (Toledo, Ohio/Scott) had 14 points and sophomore forward Terrance Shaw (Saginaw/Bridgeport) registered a personal-best 10 rebounds for the Bulldogs. The Chargers dropped to 8-7 overall and 3-2 in the GLIAC despite a game-high 22 points from junior guard Cory Coe.

FSU Falls At GVSU: Ferris dropped a 62-59 league decision to archrival Grand Valley State Saturday (Jan. 8) in GVSU's Fieldhouse Arena at Allendale, Mich. The Bulldogs shot only 35.4% (23-65) from the floor for the game, including a nine-of-33 (27.3%) performance in the opening half. GVSU improved to 10-3 overall and 4-1 in the GLIAC this campaign. Carlton Epps led Ferris with 18 points and eight rebounds. Dennis Springs added 10 points and eight assists for FSU.

Glancing At The Bulldogs: Ferris State, which claimed the 2003-04 GLIAC North Division Regular-Season Championship, finished the 2003-04 campaign with a 14-14 overall record and a 14-4 league mark. FSU, which has won more GLIAC championships (10) than any other league member, posted its best overall record in 2003-04 since compiling a 21-12 ledger during the 1997-98 season. Three starters and eight letterwinners return.

Head Coach Bill Sall: A 1994 Calvin graduate, third-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 41-40 (.506) career mark.

The Bulldog Tradition: The 2004-05 campaign marks the 77th 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 903-839 (.518) all-time mark. The Bulldogs have won 10 GLIAC titles, made six NCAA Division II Tournament appearances and reached the 1988 NCAA-II Elite Eight. Ferris, which captured a league-record four consecutive GLIAC titles from 1986-90, notched its 900th all-time win this season with a 110-104 overtime triumph over Indianapolis (Dec. 21) in the Lions Club Holiday Classic at FSU.

Jim Wink Arena: Ferris has recorded a 28-37 (.431) overall record to date in home contests at Jim Wink Arena, including a 17-31 (.354) mark in league play. The 2,400-seat facility replaced Old Jim Wink Arena, which was converted into the current Student Recreation Center after the 1997-98 season. FSU is 8-1 (.889) at home this year.

On The Road: Ferris is 360-308 (.539) overall since 1980-81 and sports a 167-210 (.443) record in road/neutral site contests during that span. The Bulldogs are 3-2 (.600) on the road this season.

Among The Best: The 2004-05 campaign marked only the fifth time in the program's 77-year history and the first since 1987-88 in which FSU won 10 of its initial 12 games of a season. The Bulldogs also claimed 10 wins in their first 12 outings during both the 1987-88 and 1974-75 seasons. FSU won 11 of its initial 12 contests during the 1961-62, 1962-63 and 1972-73 campaigns. The 1961-62 team posted the best start in school history by winning 19 of its opening 20 contests. This season marked only the second time FSU had captured 10 wins through 12 games in the last 30 years.

Ferris Picked Second: Defending champion Ferris State was picked to finish second in the 2004-05 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll. The Bulldogs totaled 32 points along with two first-place votes in the balloting conducted by the conference's head coaches. Michigan Tech was selected as the North Division favorite as the Huskies recorded 35 points along with five first-place votes. Findlay took the top spot in the South Division with 25 points and five first-place votes. Each of the league’s 13 head coaches ranked the teams in their respective divisions, but were not allowed to vote for their own team.

Between The Lines: FSU’s Bill Sall will make periodic appearances throughout the season on “Between The Lines,” a weekly half-hour television show devoted to Ferris Athletics. The program, which is hosted by Shannon Vesper and produced by FSU Media Productions, airs each Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m. (ET) and 8 p.m. (ET), respectively, on Ferris Cable Channel 7.

Looking Ahead: Ferris State travels to Erie, Pa., for conference games at Gannon Thursday, Jan. 20, and at Mercyhurst Saturday, Jan. 22. Thursday’s outing in GU’s Hammermill Center begins at 8 p.m. (EST) with Saturday’s tilt in the Mercyhurst Athletics Center set for a 3 p.m. (EST) start.

The FSU Roster: Ferris’ 2004-05 active roster includes three seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and four freshmen. Eight of the 14 players are guards while the remaining six are frontcourt players. Thirteen players hail from Michigan with one from Ohio.

FSU On The Internet: Ferris State University Athletics’ official web site can be found at www.ferris.edu/sports. The Bulldogs’ 2004-05 yearbook is also available online.

Bulldog Bites: Carlton Epps has surpassed Aaron Nauta's (1996-00) school record mark of 166 career three-pointers and currently has 189 career treys to date. He also moved into second place on the school's career steals chart and is seven away from matching Ty Miller's (1990-94) record total of 227 thefts ....... Carlton Epps has currently reached double-figure scoring in all 14 contests this campaign and 20 of his last 22 games dating back to last season. He tallied his 200th career assist versus Hillsdale and is presently 10 rebounds shy of garnering his 400th career board ..... Senior guard Corey Epps (Benton Harbor) needs six points to register his 700th career point ......... Willie Burrel is nine points away from notching his 350th career point ...... Sophomore forward Michael Daniels (Detroit/Murray-Wright) needs seven points to record his 300th career point and eight rebounds to register his 200th career board ........... Junior forward Jeffery Shanahan (Flint/Kearsley) is six points shy of scoring his 300th career point ...... Dennis Springs currently leads the GLIAC and ranks fifth in the nation in assists (7.4 apg) ...... The Bulldogs had won three consecutive series' contests versus Grand Valley State prior to Saturday's loss in Allendale, Mich. Ferris' 59 points against the Lakers were its fewest since totaling 55 points in a 71-55 loss at Michigan Tech (2/5/04).

FSU Team Notes: Tuesday's game versus Hillsdale represented Ferris' only home contest during the month of January ........ Ferris’ current assists (19.9 apg) and steals (13.2 spg) averages rank as the best seasonal marks in school history ......... FSU’s last five losses dating back to last season have all been by six points or less ...... The Bulldogs concluded non-conference play with an 8-0 mark this season after posting an 0-10 non-conference ledger last campaign ..... Ferris is currently 6-0 in games decided by 10 points or more this season.

Live Statistics: Live statistics of all remaining 2004-05 FSU men’s and women’s basketball home contests will be provided in progress via the internet. Visit www.ferris.edu/sports and click on the “Live Stats” icon for more information.

Sall Wins Again: FSU head coach Bill Sall, who previously served as a Hillsdale assistant coach from 1998-02 under current Charger head coach Ed Douma, improved to 3-1 in his head coaching career versus HC with Tuesday’s victory. Sall also played under Douma at Calvin (1985-90) and was his assistant coach (1992-95) for the Knights.

GLIAC Player Of Week: Carlton Epps was selected last week's (Jan. 3) GLIAC North Division Player of the Week for his performance in leading the Bulldogs to four non-league victories over the holiday break. The 6-2 Epps averaged 22.8 points per game and shot 60.0% (30-50) from the floor in the four-game stretch. Epps, who also sank 18-of-32 (56.3%) three-point attempts in the four outings, added 17 steals, 11 rebounds and nine assists while converting 13-of-14 (.929) free throw opportunities. His selection last week represented the second time he has attained league award accolades this season following his previous selection on Nov. 29. He currently leads the GLIAC in scoring (21.1 ppg), steals (3.2 spg) and made three-point field goals (3.64 pg) this season. In addition, he has presently tallied seven 20-plus point performances this campaign.

A Look At The Opponent:

Wayne State: The Bulldogs maintain a 33-30 edge heading into Saturday’s 64th series’ encounter. However, WSU posted a 75-71 victory in the last meeting (1/17/04) at Big Rapids, Mich. Wayne State is presently 8-5 overall and 3-1 in league play heading into this Thursday’s (Jan. 13) GLIAC road game at Grand Valley State after recording a 107-63 non-conference triumph over Marygrove Monday (Jan. 10) in Detroit, Mich. The Warriors, who are coached by fourth-year head coach David Greer, were 19-12 overall during the 2003-04 campaign and compiled a third-place 11-6 GLIAC South Division finish. WSU, which is led in scoring by senior guard Morris Hall (17.7 ppg), was picked to finish third in the 2004-05 GLIAC South Division Preseason Coaches Poll. WSU has won three consecutive games to date and is currently 4-1 overall in home games at the Matthaei Complex this season. FSU head coach Bill Sall is 0-4 in his head coaching career against the Warriors.