FSU Men’s Basketball At A Glance - The Ferris State University men’s basketball team will host the Northwood Timberwolves in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) action this Thursday (Jan. 16) with tipoff slated for 8 p.m. (EST) at FSU’s Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs then visit the Grand Valley State Lakers this Saturday (Jan. 18) for an 8 p.m. (EST) league encounter at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena in Allendale, Mich. FSU, which is presently 6-8 overall and 2-4 in conference action, ranks 497th of 1,336 institutions (all levels) represented in the current (Jan. 13) Dunkel Sports Research Index Men’s Basketball Ratings.

Ferris Falls At Ashland - The Bulldogs dropped an 80-77 league decision to the Ashland Eagles last Saturday (Jan. 11) at AU’s Kates Gymnasium in Ashland, Ohio. The Eagles were listed among others receiving consideration in last week’s (Jan. 7) National Association of Basketball Coaches/Division II Bulletin Men’s Basketball National Rankings. Senior center Adam Anderson (Kent City) led the Bulldogs with a game-high 23 points while junior guard Willie Thomas (Columbus, Ohio/Eastmoor Academy) added 14 points. Sophomore guard Carlton Epps (Benton Harbor) and freshman guard Dennis Springs (Toledo, Ohio/Scott) also reached double figures with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Ferris led 77-67 with 3:08 to play before the Eagles responded by scoring the game’s final 13 points. FSU concluded action against the GLIAC’s South Division with a 2-4 (.500) record after registering an 0-6 (.000) mark last season.

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 873-815 (.517) 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 during the 1997-98 campaign, captured four consecutive league titles from 1986-90.

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.

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.

Bring Back The Bulldogs - The Ferris State men’s basketball team will honor former player Lewis Garner (1971-75) prior to this Thursday’s game as part of its “Bring Back The Bulldogs” alumni program. Garner, who’s currently in his sixth season as an assistant coach at Northwood, compiled 1,437 points and 342 rebounds during his FSU career while attaining honorable mention All-America accolades in 1974. He served as a Bulldog assistant coach from 1990-94.

Anderson Keeps Climbing - Adam Anderson, a 2000-01 All-GLIAC North Division First-Team honoree, currently has 1,382 career points and needs 55 more to tie Lewis Garner (1,437; 1971-75) for eighth place on Ferris’ career scoring leaders list. Anderson has scored 10 points or more in 50 of his last 51 games, including each of his previous 44 contests. The 6-10 Anderson, who currently ranks as Ferris’ career blocks leader (117), is fifth on the school’s career made free throw chart (412-624) and needs 33 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 six of the last seven games, presently has 531 career rebounds and is tied with Larry Woodford (531; 1970-73) for 13th 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. Anderson, who missed the final 23 games last season due to a bone bruise injury (knee) suffered in a 79-59 non-conference home win versus Olivet (11/20/01), petitioned for and was granted an extra season of eligibility last summer through the NCAA’s medical redshirt process. He has reached double-figure scoring 70 times in 93 career contests.

Back At Home - Ferris State is presently 2-2 (.500) 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 11-31 (.262) overall mark in its fourth season at the new Jim Wink Arena.

Bulldog Bites - Dennis Springs has registered nine double-figure scoring performances to date this campaign, including six of his last nine outings. He leads the league with six assists per game in GLIAC play ...... Senior guard/forward Jeff Guernsey (Buckley) presently has scored 197 career points and needs three more to register his 200th career point .... FSU has led at halftime in nine of its 14 contests this season to date. Twelve of Ferris' 14 opponents this campaign had a .500 record or better prior to the contest ...... Carlton Epps has posted double-digit scoring performances in six of his last eight outings. He currently has 376 career points and is 24 away from notching his 400th career point .... Sophomore guard Michael Anderson (Farmington Hills/Royal Oak Shrine) is three points shy of attaining his 100th career point ....... Ferris has compiled a higher three-point field goal percentage than its opponent in nine of its last 12 contests to date ...... Freshman forward Jeffery Shanahan (Flint/Kearsley) matched personal career-highs with eight points and six rebounds versus the Eagles. The 6-6 Shanahan previously tallied eight points at Olivet (12/14) and six rebounds against Northern Kentucky (12/28) ...... Willie Thomas has registered three consecutive double-figure scoring performances to date. The 6-4 Thomas is averaging a team-high 17 points per game in Ferris' six league contests this campaign. He ranks first among the GLIAC’s league-game only leaders in steals (2.17 spg) and made three-point field goals (3.83 pg) ........ Four of Ferris' eight losses this season have been by seven points or less. The Bulldogs have lost by three points in each of their last two outings to date ...... Adam Anderson is 18 points shy of recording his 1,400th career point and needs eight assists to garner his 100th career assist ...... Sophomore guard Corey Epps (Benton Harbor) has scored 287 career points to date and is 13 away from registering his 300th career point.

On The Road Again - FSU is 331-284 (.538) overall since 1980-81 and sports a 157-192 (.450) record in road/neutral site contests during that span. Ferris is 3-5 (.375) on the road this season.

Against The Opponents - Ferris begins GLIAC North Division play versus Northwood and Grand Valley State this week.

Northwood: The Bulldogs maintain a 39-17 edge entering this Thursday’s 57th series meeting. However, NU has won three consecutive games and defeated Ferris 75-66 in the last meeting between the teams (2/9/02) at Big Rapids, Mich. Northwood is presently 6-8 overall and 2-4 in league play after last Saturday’s (Jan. 11) 81-75 league road loss at Gannon. The Timberwolves, under sixth-year head coach Bob Taylor, were 18-11 overall during the 2001-02 campaign and compiled a second-place 10-8 GLIAC North Division record. NU, which is led in scoring by junior guard Dallas Logan (19.4 ppg), was picked to finish second in the 2002-03 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll. Northwood has lost three of its last four games to date.

Grand Valley State: Ferris holds a 41-34 advantage heading into this Saturday’s 76th meeting. The Lakers have a two-game series win streak and beat Ferris 78-75 in the last meeting (2/11/02) at Allendale, Mich. GVSU is currently 7-7 overall and 3-4 in GLIAC action heading into this Monday’s (Jan. 13) non-league home game versus Michigan-Dearborn after last Thursday’s (Jan. 9) 97-89 league overtime win at Ashland. GVSU, which was picked to finish fourth in the 2002-03 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll, is led in scoring by senior center Jason Bauer (13.2 ppg). The Lakers have won four consecutive games to date under sixth-year head coach and former Bulldog assistant coach (1987-88) Terry Smith. Grand Valley State was 15-13 overall during the 2001-02 campaign and placed tied for third in the GLIAC North Division with an 8-10 mark.

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 battle the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals Thursday, Jan. 23, at SVSU’s James E. O’Neill Arena in University Center, Mich. Tipoff for the league encounter is slated for 8 p.m. (EST). The Bulldogs then visit the Lake Superior State Lakers Saturday, Jan. 25, for a 3 p.m. (EST) conference contest in LSSU’s Bud Cooper Gymnasium at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Ferris 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.