FSU Men’s Basketball At A Glance: The Ferris State University men’s basketball team, which is presently 4-0 overall this campaign, will open Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) action Thursday, Dec. 2, versus Findlay at FSU’s Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. (EST). FSU will then host Ashland Saturday, Dec. 4, in a 3 p.m. (EST) league home contest.

Ticket Info: 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 Road Opener: Ferris State won its initial road game of the 2004-05 season Saturday (Nov. 27) as the Bulldogs edged California (Pa.) 75-73 in non-league action at California, Pa. Senior guard Carlton Epps (Benton Harbor) tallied a game-high 25 points along with a personal career-high seven three-pointers and four steals. FSU took a 75-68 advantage with 3:18 left, but California cut the lead to one possession with five-straight free throws and had the chance to tie the game with a rebound off a missed FSU free throw with six seconds left. But, the Vulcans were unable to get a shot off before time ran out in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Sophomore forward Terrance Shaw (Saginaw/Bridgeport) added 12 points and five rebounds while junior guard Dennis Springs (Toledo, Ohio/Scott) contributed 11 points, five steals along with four assists for the Bulldogs.

FSU Tops Calvin: Ferris posted a 97-85 non-conference home victory last Tuesday (Nov. 23) over West Michigan rival Calvin in Wink Arena. Carlton Epps led FSU with 22 points, six steals, five rebounds and four three-pointers. Senior forward Willie Burrel (Muskegon Heights) chipped in a personal career-high 20 points along with eight rebounds for FSU. Dennis Springs compiled 15 points and nine assists while freshman guard Tyler Wolfe (Cedar Springs) totaled 14 points.

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 this campaign.

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 34-37 (.479) 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 896-836 (.517) 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 captured a league-record four consecutive GLIAC titles from 1986-90.

Jim Wink Arena: Ferris has recorded a 23-36 (.390) overall record to date in home contests at Jim Wink Arena, including a 15-30 (.333) 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 3-0 (1.000) at home this year.

On The Road: Ferris is 354-305 (.537) overall since 1980-81 and sports a 166-208 (.444) record in road/neutral site contests during that span. The Bulldogs are 1-0 (1.000) on the road this season.

A Look At The 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 site features information on all of FSU’s varsity athletics programs.

GLIAC Games On The Air: FSU’s 2004-05 league games will be carried live by local radio station WBRN-1460 AM. Selected contests can also be accessed live via the internet by clicking on the Bulldog Athletics Webcasts icon at www.ferris.edu/sports.

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. The first-place team in the North Division received six points while the second-place team earned four points, etc. The first-place squad in the South Division picked up five points, the second-place team took four points, etc.

Between The Lines: FSU head coach 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 FSU’s Cable Channel 7.

League Openers: Ferris has dropped its league-opener 12 consecutive seasons to date. The Bulldogs, who had won seven-straight GLIAC openers prior to their current streak, last won their first league game in 1991-92 with a 77-66 home victory over Saginaw Valley State (1/4/92). FSU, which has lost each of its last seven GLIAC openers to Findlay, is 7-13 (.350) in its first league tilt since the 1984-85 campaign. Ferris has dropped five consecutive league openers at home.

Bulldog Bites: FSU's 4-0 start this season represents the first time the Bulldogs have won their opening four games of the season since winning 11-straight to begin the 1972-73 campaign ...... Carlton Epps, who is presently averaging a team-best 25.0 points per game this season, became the 23rd player in school history to register 1,000 career points against Calvin. He needs six three-pointers to match Aaron Nauta's (1996-00) school record mark of 166 treys. His seven three-point baskets at California (Pa.) was two shy of matching the school record of nine set by Leon Larthridge versus Quincy (3/2/91) ....... Dennis Springs currently has 354 career assists to date and is 91 away from matching Tim Herman's (1975-79) third-place FSU mark of 445 assists. He currently has 107 career steals to date and ranks 10th all-time at Ferris State ....... Senior guard Corey Epps (Benton Harbor) garnered his 600th career point versus Calvin. He matched Dannie Hayes’ (1991-95) sixth-place FSU steals mark with his 125th career theft at California (Pa.) ...... Tyler Wolfe saw his first collegiate action versus Calvin and responded by making his first four field goal attempts, which were all three-pointers. He finished the game with 14 points on a five-of-six performance from the floor ........ The Bulldogs are presently 3-0 overall in games decided by five points or less this campaign. Last season (2003-04), Ferris dropped five of its seven games decided by the same margin ....... Willie Burrel notched his 200th career point against Calvin ....... Junior forward Jeffery Shanahan (Flint/Kearsley) is eight rebounds away from recording his 200th career board ...... Ferris has shot 39 percent or better from three-point range in all four games this campaign.

The Next League Game: The Bulldogs are 6-4 (.600) in their second league game since the 1994-95 campaign. Ferris, which has lost its second league game four of the last five seasons to date, is currently 12-8 (.600) overall in its second GLIAC contest since the 1984-85 season. The Bulldogs beat Ashland 86-66 in their second league tilt last season (12/6/03) at Ashland, Ohio.

Looking Ahead: Ferris State will visit Lake Superior State Thursday, Dec. 9, for a 7:30 p.m. (EST) league tilt at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. FSU will then face Saginaw Valley State Saturday, Dec. 11, in a 3 p.m. (EST) conference contest at University Center, Mich.

A Look At The Opponents:

Findlay: The Oilers maintain a 7-2 series edge heading into Thursday’s meeting and defeated Ferris 69-58 in the last meeting (12/4/03) at Findlay, Ohio. UF, which has won seven consecutive series’ contests, is presently 2-0 overall heading into this Monday’s (Nov. 29) non-league game at NCAA Division I Miami (Ohio) after recording a 94-73 non-conference home win last Wednesday (Nov. 24) over Salem International (W.Va.). The Oilers, who are guided by 20th-year head coach Ron Niekamp, were 25-7 overall during the 2003-04 campaign and advanced to the NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Tournament semifinal round following a first-place 13-4 GLIAC South Division finish. Sophomore center Chris Commons is the leading scorer (23.0 ppg) to date for Findlay, which was picked to finish first in the 2004-05 GLIAC South Division Preseason Coaches Poll. UF has claimed three consecutive GLIAC South Division titles and won the 2003-04 GLIAC Tourney Championship. Ferris head coach Bill Sall is 0-2 versus the Oilers in his head coaching career.

Ashland: FSU holds a 6-5 series’ edge entering Saturday’s meeting and defeated the Eagles 86-66 last season (12/6/03) at Ashland, Ohio. However, AU has won four of the last five series’ contests. Ashland is presently 4-1 overall heading into this Thursday’s (Dec. 2) GLIAC opener at Grand Valley State after claiming a 86-58 non-league victory over West Virginia Wesleyan last Saturday (Nov. 27). The Eagles, who are directed by 12th-year head coach Roger Lyons, were 11-16 overall during the 2003-04 campaign and compiled a sixth-place 4-13 GLIAC South Division finish. AU, which is led in scoring by sophomore guard Alex Jones (14.6 ppg), was picked to finish fourth in the 2004-05 GLIAC South Division Preseason Coaches Poll. Sall holds a 2-1 career coaching mark to date versus AU.