FSU Men’s Basketball At A Glance - The Ferris State University men’s basketball team will battle the nationally-ranked Michigan Tech Huskies in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) action this Thursday (Jan. 30) with tipoff slated for 8 p.m. (EST) in FSU’s Jim Wink Arena at Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs will then host the Northern Michigan Wildcats this Saturday (Feb. 1) in a 3 p.m. (EST) league contest. FSU, which is presently 7-11 overall and 3-7 in conference action, ranks 318th of 1,336 institutions (all levels) represented in the current (Jan. 27) Dunkel Sports Research Index Men’s Basketball Ratings. MTU is ranked fourth in the latest (Jan. 21) National Association of Basketball Coaches/Division II Bulletin Top 25 poll.

Ferris Drops Two Games - Ferris dropped two league games last weekend (Jan. 23 & 25). FSU fell to the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals 75-67 last Thursday (Jan. 23) at SVSU’s O’Neill Arena in University Center, Mich. The Bulldogs then lost an 85-79 decision versus the Lake Superior State Lakers last Saturday (Jan. 25) in LSSU’s Bud Cooper Gymnasium at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Senior center Adam Anderson (Kent City) led the Bulldogs with a season-high 30 points at SVSU while sophomore guard Corey Epps (Benton Harbor) chipped in 13 points. Freshman guard Dennis Springs (Toledo, Ohio/Scott) and sophomore guard Carlton Epps (Benton Harbor) both scored a team-high 20 points against Lake Superior State. Junior guard Willie Thomas (Columbus, Ohio/Eastmoor Academy) added 16 points and Corey Epps totaled 11 points at LSSU. The Bulldogs have lost five of their last six games to date.

Last Season - Ferris State concluded the 2001-02 campaign with a 4-22 overall mark, which included a seventh-place 1-17 GLIAC North Division finish.

The Bulldog Tradition - The 2002-03 campaign marks the 75th 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 874-818 (.516) 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, which last won the GLIAC Tournament championship in 1997-98, captured a league-record four consecutive GLIAC titles from 1986-90.

Home Court - Ferris State is presently 2-3 (.400) this campaign at Jim Wink Arena. 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. FSU holds an 11-32 (.256) overall mark in its fourth season at the new Jim Wink Arena.

Head Coach Bill Sall - A 1994 Calvin graduate, first-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.

Anderson Notches 500th Field Goal - Adam Anderson, a 2000-01 All-GLIAC North Division First-Team honoree, registered his 500th career field goal and 550th career rebound at SVSU. Anderson, who has scored 10 points or more in 52 of his last 55 games, currently has 1,446 career points and needs four more to tie Marcus Kennedy (1,450; 19786-89) for seventh place on Ferris’ career scoring leaders list. The 6-10 Anderson, who currently ranks as Ferris’ career blocks leader (126), is fifth on the school’s career made free throw chart (428-647) and needs 17 more to tie Dannie Hayes (445; 1991-95) for fourth place. He established FSU single-season records in made free throws (179) and blocks (50) during the 2000-01 season. Anderson, who has led FSU in scoring eight of the last 11 games to date, presently has 558 career rebounds and is 29 short of tying Ray Waits (587; 1996-99) for 11th place on Ferris' career list.

Preseason All-America Honoree - Adam Anderson has been named to the 2002-03 Street & Smith’s Division II Preseason Honorable Mention All-America Team for the second consecutive season. Anderson, a 2000-01 Daktronics NCAA-II All-Great Lakes Region First-Team selection, was among 31 individuals receiving preseason accolades and joined Michigan Tech’s Matt Cameron, Hillsdale’s Matt Mlynarchek and Josh Morgan of Gannon as the only representatives from a GLIAC-member institution. He has reached double-figure scoring 72 times in 97 career contests.

Bring Back The Bulldogs - The Ferris State men’s basketball team will honor former players Art Tetzlaff (1967-71) and Kurt Stevens (1982-85) prior to this weekend’s games as part of its “Bring Back The Bulldogs” alumni program. Tetzlaff, who scored 1,370 points and grabbed 763 rebounds during his FSU playing career, will be honored prior to Thursday’s contest while Stevens will be present for Saturday’s game. Stevens, a three-time GLIAC All-Academic Team selection, posted career totals of 525 points and 229 rebounds in addition to attaining honorable mention All-GLIAC accolades. Tetzlaff was a two-time All-NAIA District 23 choice.

Bulldog Bites - Freshman guard Michael Anderson (Farmington Hills/Royal Oak Shrine) recorded his 100th career point at Saginaw Valley State ......... Willie Thomas had a personal career-high five blocked shots at Lake Superior State. The 6-4 Thomas has scored 10 points or more in six of his last seven contests to date ......... Carlton Epps has posted double-digit scoring performances in eight of his last 12 outings, including a 20-point effort at LSSU .......... Senior guard/forward Jeff Guernsey (Buckley) presently has scored 198 career points and is two shy of attaining his 200th career point ....... Corey Epps currently has five double-figure scoring games in his last seven appearances ........ Thirteen of Ferris' 18 opponents this campaign had a .500 record or better prior to the contest while seven of Ferris' 11 losses have been by eight points or less ......... Senior guard Brian Monahan (Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor Pioneer) is three assists short of recording his 200th career assist ..... FSU shot 40-percent or better from three-point range in six of its first eight games this season as compared to only twice in its last 10 games ...... Ferris compiled season-highs in made three-point baskets (14) and three-point percentage (.483; 14-29) at LSSU ..... The Bulldogs have attempted only 23 free throws in their last three outings (7.7 attempts/game).

Against The Opponents - FSU hosts Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan this weekend.

Michigan Tech: The Huskies maintain a 45-43 lead entering this Thursday’s 89th series meeting. MTU has won eight consecutive games and defeated Ferris 91-61 in the last meeting between the teams (2/23/02) at Big Rapids, Mich. Michigan Tech is presently 18-1 overall and 10-0 in league play after last Monday’s (Jan. 27) 70-63 league home win over Northern Michigan. The Huskies, under ninth-year head coach Kevin Luke, were 27-3 overall during the 2001-02 campaign and compiled a first-place 16-2 GLIAC North Division record. MTU, which is led in scoring by senior center J.T. Luginski (17.3 ppg), was picked to finish first in the 2002-03 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll. Michigan Tech has won its last nine games to date.

Northern Michigan: NMU holds a 61-35 advantage heading into this Saturday’s 97th meeting. The Wildcats have won the last two games and defeated FSU 72-65 in the team’s last meeting (2/21/02) at Big Rapids, Mich. NMU is currently 11-7 overall and 7-3 in GLIAC action heading into this Thursday’s (Jan. 30) GLIAC game at Grand Valley State after last Monday’s (Jan. 27) 70-63 league road loss at Michigan Tech. Northern Michigan, which was picked to finish third in the 2002-03 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll, is led in scoring by junior forward Billy Hill (15.9 ppg). The Wildcats have won four of their last five games to date under 16th-year head coach Dean Ellis. NMU was 14-12 overall in 2001-02 and placed fifth (7-11) in the GLIAC North Division.

Between The Lines - Between The Lines, a weekly television program profiling Ferris State University Athletics, continues to be aired across northern Michigan on WFQX-Fox 33 every Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. (ET). The 30-minute program is hosted by Ira Childress and produced in the studios of the University’s cable Channel 7. The Jan. 29 guest will be Tracey Fisk, FSU’s women’s basketball head coach, along with Bill Sall, men’s basketball head coach, and Bob Daniels, men’s ice hockey head coach.

FSU Sports Luncheon - The next FSU Sports Luncheon of the 2002-03 athletics season will be held this Wednesday (Jan. 29) from 12-1 p.m. (EST) at Ferris' Center Ice in Big Rapids, Mich. Featured speakers include FSU men’s basketball head coach Bill Sall, men’s ice hockey head coach Bob Daniels and women’s basketball head coach Tracey Fisk. For more information, contact the FSU Alumni Office at (231) 591-2345.

Ticket Prices - Individual game tickets to all FSU home basketball games can be obtained at the door or by calling the Bulldog ticket office at (231) 591-2888. Adult tickets are $5 and student tickets are $3. A family pass can be purchased for $10. Ferris State faculty/staff ticket prices are $4.

Looking Ahead - Ferris will host the Lake Superior State Lakers in league action Thursday, Feb. 6, with tipoff slated for 8 p.m. (EST) at FSU’s Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs then visit the Northwood Timberwolves Saturday, Feb. 8. Tipoff for the GLIAC encounter at NU’s Bennett Sports Center is at 3 p.m. (EST).