Sophomore forward/center Ashley Fleming will be among the Bulldog players in action at Jim Wink Arena this week.

FSU Basketball At A Glance: The Ferris State women’s basketball team hosts two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) foes this week inside Jim Wink Arena at Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs take on Michigan Tech Thursday (Feb. 8) at 6 p.m. (EST) and then face Northern Michigan Saturday (Feb. 10) in a 1 p.m. (EST) game. Both games will be the first contest of a women’s and men’s doubleheader.

The Records: Ferris State, which has won seven of its last eight outings to date, owns a current 15-6 overall record and is 9-4 in the GLIAC heading into Thursday's meeting with Michigan Tech. The Huskies enter the game with a 15-7 cumulative mark and are currently 9-5 in conference play. Northern Michigan, which visits Lake Superior State Thursday (Feb. 8) for a league road game, enters the week with an 8-15 overall ledger and a 4-10 GLIAC mark.

Media Coverage: Both games will be carried live by Bulldog Radio, which can be heard locally on television Channel 21 both via on-campus cable and Charter Communications in Mecosta County. A live audio only webcast of both games will also be offered at www.bulldogradio.org. A live video and audio webcast will be available through B2 Networks for a charge of $6 on FSU’s Athletics Website at www.ferris.edu/sports. Live internet statistics will be offered on FSU’s Athletics Website at www.ferris.edu/sports. Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan also will have audio webcasts of their broadcasts at the following sites, respectively: www.michigantechhuskies.com and www.nmu.edu/sports.

Ticket Info: Tickets for both games will be available at the door. For more information, please contact the FSU Athletics Ticket Office at (231) 591-2888 or go online at www.starticketsplus.net. Tickets for home games are $7 (general admission) or $10 (reserved) for adults along with $5 for students (K-12) or faculty/staff. FSU students are admitted free of charge with identification. A family pass with two adult and two youth tickets is $15.

The Standings: Ferris, which is 9-4 in league play, remains in third place in the GLIAC North Division standings behind Grand Valley State (10-2) and Lake Superior State (10-3) entering this week’s play. Michigan Tech is right behind FSU with a 9-5 mark while NMU is 4-10 in the GLIAC. Gannon is on top of the South Division with a 10-2 league mark. The top three teams in each division plus the next two best finishers will qualify for the annual postseason tourney.

GLIAC Tourney: The annual GLIAC Postseason Tournament will begin with four quarterfinal-round games at campus sites Tuesday, Feb. 27. The top two teams in each division host quarterfinal-round action. The top remaining seed will host the semifinals/finals Friday and Saturday, March 2-3, with the tournament winner receiving the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional March 9-12.

FSU Splits Two Games: Ferris State split a pair of league games last week as the Bulldogs had their six-game winning streak snapped with a 72-50 loss at Saginaw Valley State Wednesday (Jan. 31) before bouncing back to defeat Northwood 108-75 Saturday (Feb. 3) at FSU’s Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. Senior forward Audrey Thwing (Davidson) led Ferris with 15 points at SVSU while junior forward Rachel Folcik (Powers/Carney-Nadeau) tallied a game-best 26 points and 10 rebounds versus Northwood.

Last Season: Ferris State wrapped up its 2005-06 women's basketball season with an 18-10 overall record and made its seventh consecutive GLIAC Tournament appearance last campaign. FSU, which posted a third-place tying 12-6 mark in GLIAC North Division play a year ago, also registered its 10th consecutive season with 10 or more victories in 2005-06.

Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk: Ninth-year FSU head coach Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk presently ranks as Ferris’ all-time winningest coach with a current 150-94 (.615) career record at Ferris State. A 1996 graduate of Western Michigan, she guided FSU to a 22-7 mark and the school's first NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Tourney appearance during the 1999-00 campaign. She spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Lake Michigan College (1994-97) and one season at Indianapolis (1997-98).

The Bulldog Tradition: The Ferris State women’s basketball program, which is midst its 33rd season of varsity competition, has compiled a 403-419 (.490) all-time mark. The Bulldogs won their only GLIAC crown, advanced to their first NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Tournament and recorded the nation’s highest grade point average in 1999-2000. FSU, which also claimed GLIAC Tournament runner-up honors in 1999-00, has posted 10 or more victories 10 consecutive seasons to date.

Looking Back At 2003-04: The Bulldogs compiled a 21-10 overall record in 2003-04 and reached the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Tournament for only the second time in school history. FSU was second (14-4) in the GLIAC North Division and advanced to the GLIAC Tournament title game during the 2003-04 campaign. The Bulldogs also recorded the program’s second-ever 20-win campaign three seasons ago.

The Bulldog Roster: Ferris’ 2006-07 roster includes three seniors, three juniors, five sophomores and two freshmen. Six of the 13 players are guards while the remaining seven are frontcourt players. All 13 players on the roster hail from Michigan. FSU senior guards Erin Miller (Niles) and Kristin Reinhart (East Lansing) along with Rachel Folcik are serving as the Bulldogs’ team captains for the 2006-07 campaign.

Jim Wink Arena: Ferris has recorded a 60-24 (.714) overall record to date in games at Jim Wink Arena, including a 47-21 (.691) mark in league play. 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 won its first 14 games in the facility.

On The Road: Ferris State is 187-134 (.583) overall since 1995-96 and sports a 107-90 (.543) record in road/neutral site contests during that span. The Bulldogs are 64-50 (.561) overall in road games under head coach Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk, including a 47-32 (.595) record in GLIAC play.

Live Internet Stats: “Live Stats” of all 2006-07 Ferris State home games will be provided in progress via the internet. Visit the site at www.ferris.edu/sports and click the “Live Stats” icon to access.

B2 Broadband Webcasts: A live broadband video and audio webcast will be available via B2 Networks for FSU’s remaining home games this season. The cost is $6 per game and includes live video along with a radio audio feed. To access the service or obtain more info, please visit the FSU Athletics Website at www.ferris.edu/sports.

Listen To The Bulldogs: FSU women’s basketball (GLIAC games only) will be carried live this season through a partnership with Bulldog Radio, a registered student organization on the Ferris campus. The station can be heard locally on television Channel 21 both via on-campus cable and Charter Communications in Mecosta County. A live 24-hour webcast of the signal is also available at www.bulldogradio.org. Fans wishing to access the live internet broadcast of the GLIAC contests will also be able to visit the Bulldog Athletics Webcast icon at www.ferris.edu/sports.

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 including rosters, statistics, yearbooks and more.

GLIAC Preseason Poll: Ferris State was picked to finish second in the 2006-07 GLIAC Women's Basketball Coaches Preseason North Division Poll. The Bulldogs totaled 29 points in the balloting conducted by the conference's head coaches. Defending NCAA Division II National Champion Grand Valley State was selected as the North Division favorite as the Lakers recorded 36 points along with six first-place votes. Ashland claimed the top spot in the South Division. The league's 13 head coaches voted for the division in which they play.

Regional Rankings: Ferris State is listed fifth in the latest (Jan. 31) NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Rankings. The rankings will determine the field for the NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional March 9-12 at the site of the highest seed. Eight teams will make the regional field. Lewis (Ill.) tops the current regional poll followed by Grand Valley State, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and Bellarmine (Ky.). Seven of the top 10 regional teams are from the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) with three from the GLIAC. New rankings will come out Wednesday, Feb. 14.

Keep Up The Work: FSU’s Rachel Folcik was recognized as the GLIAC North Division Player of the Week three times over the course of four weeks in January. The 6-1 Folcik has averaged 19.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs in the last 13 games while notching 11 double-figure scoring performances and recording eight double-double (points & rebounds) efforts in the stretch. In those 11 games, Folcik is shooting 57% (895-168) from the floor and has made 62-of-69 (.899) free throws. A FSU player has earned the league’s weekly award distinction five times this campaign and 18 times in the last five seasons, including the current year, to date.

Big Day For The Bulldogs: Ferris' 108 total points against Northwood was only four away from matching the school record of 112 set against Westminster (Pa.) in a 112-49 rout during the 1999-00 (12/2/99) season. In addition, FSU's 36 made free throws were only two off the single-game record of 38 made versus Oakland (11/27/93) ........ The win was FSU's 23rd-straight series' triumph against the Timberwolves ........ Ferris head coach Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk earned her 150th career coaching victory with the victory over Northwood ..... Rachel Folcik’s 12-of-12 performance from the free throw line versus NU was just shy of matching Bonnie Fetterly’s school single-game record 13-of-13 effort against Michigan Tech (2/12/87).

Bulldog Bites: This year marks the 11th consecutive year the Bulldogs have won 10 or more games ...... Ferris’ current scoring average of 79.9 points per game is on pace to break the school’s single-season record average of 77.2 ppg set in 2003-04 ...... FSU’s current free throw (.765) and field goal (.462) percentage totals also presently rank as the best seasonal efforts in school history ...... Erin Miller tallied her 1,500th career point versus Northwood and presently ranks third on the school’s all-time scoring list ..... Rachel Folcik has 950 career points to date and needs only 50 more to become the 14th player in FSU history to record 1,000 career points. She’s 14 rebounds away from her 500th career board ...... Both Kristin Reinhart and Erin Miller are closing in on 400 career assists with 398 and 393, respectively, heading into Thursday’s game ....... Ferris is 9-0 when four or more players reach double-figure scoring this year ....... Sophomore forward/center Jenna Guay (Escanaba) matched a career scoring high with 10 points versus Northwood.

Road Trip On Tap: The Bulldogs hit the road next week for their final GLIAC regular-season road trip of the year. FSU visits Wayne State Thursday, Feb. 15, for a 7:30 p.m. (EST) league game in Detroit before traveling to Lake Superior State for Saturday’s (Feb. 17) 3 p.m. (EST) GLIAC encounter at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Statistics Notes: The Bulldogs are currently ranked fifth nationally in field goal percentage (.462) along with sixth in scoring offense (79.9 ppg), 13th in free throw percentage (.765) and 16th in assists (17.6 apg) according to the latest (Feb. 5) NCAA-II National Statistics. FSU currently leads the GLIAC in scoring offense, rebounding offense (41.6 rpg), rebounding margin (+5.4), defensive rebounds (28.4 rpg) and assists while ranking second in free throw percentage, field goal percentage (.462) and assist/turnover ratio (0.97) for all games played overall .... Rachel Folcik is third overall in scoring (17.8 ppg), rebounding (8.4 rpg), field goal percentage (.544) and free throw percentage (.865) within the GLIAC. She’s listed 22nd nationally in field goal percentage along with 36th in scoring.

FSU vs. MTU/NMU Notebook:

Scouting Michigan Tech: The Huskies enter Thursday’s game with a 15-7 mark and are 9-5 to date in conference play. MTU maintains a 33-21 lead and has won nine of the last 14 series’ encounters. Ferris, however, recorded a 77-64 road triumph in the most recent meeting earlier this year (1/13) at Houghton, Mich. FSU head coach Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk presently has a 5-13 career coaching record against the Huskies. Michigan Tech, which is led in scoring by sophomore guard Sarah Stream (14.2 ppg), was chosen third in the 2006-07 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll. The Huskies, who are guided by fourth-year head coach John Barnes, were 19-9 overall during the 2005-06 campaign and compiled a second-place 14-4 GLIAC North Division record. MTU has presently won its last four games, including a 74-41 league home win over Mercyhurst last Saturday (Feb. 3).

Scouting Northern Michigan: Northern Michigan, which visits Lake Superior State Thursday (Feb. 8) for a league road game, enters the week with an 8-15 overall ledger and a 4-10 GLIAC mark. NMU holds a 38-17 series advantage and has won seven of the last 12 meetings. FSU’s Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk currently has a 7-11 career coaching mark versus NMU and led FSU to a 71-54 victory in the most recent (1/11/07) game at Marquette, Mich. Northern Michigan, which is directed by second-year head coach Troy Mattson, had dropped six of its last eight outings to date this year heading into Thursday’s game at LSSU and suffered a 76-70 overtime home loss to Gannon Saturday (Feb. 3). The Wildcats were 6-19 overall in 2005-06 and placed seventh (2-16) in the GLIAC’s North Division. NMU, which was picked to finish seventh in the 2006-07 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll, is led in scoring by junior forward Allison Carroll (13.3 ppg).