FSU Women’s Basketball At A Glance: The Ferris State University women’s basketball team will host Saginaw Valley State this Thursday (Feb. 12) for a 6 p.m. (EST) Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) outing at FSU’s Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. Ferris will then visit Lake Superior State Saturday (Feb. 14) with GLIAC tipoff set for 1 p.m. (EST) in LSSU’s James Norris Gymnasium at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Ferris Near Top: FSU is presently 15-6 overall and holds a second-place 10-2 mark behind LSSU (11-2) in the GLIAC’s North Division. Three of Ferris’ final six outings this campaign are at home. The Bulldogs have won seven of their last eight games to date this season. Ferris is currently ranked third in the latest (Feb. 3) NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Rankings.

FSU Earns Split: The Bulldogs split two league road games in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula last weekend (Feb. 5 & 8). Ferris beat Michigan Tech 75-65 last Thursday (Feb. 5) in MTU’s Student Development Complex Gymnasium at Houghton, Mich. The Bulldogs then dropped a 78-71 decision to Northern Michigan Sunday (Feb. 8) at NMU’s Berry Events Center in Marquette, Mich.

Leading The Way: Sophomore guard Erin Miller (Niles) tallied a personal career-high 35 points and 11 rebounds at NMU after scoring 16 points against the Huskies. Freshman guard Kristin Reinhart (East Lansing) led the Bulldogs with 17 points, which all came in the final half, at MTU. Senior guard Lucy DeMartin (Mason) reached double-figure scoring in both games with 17 points and 16 points at MTU and NMU, respectively.

GLIAC Player Of The Week: Erin Miller was selected this week’s (Feb. 9) GLIAC North Division Player of the Week after averaging 25.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in two outings last weekend. The 5-7 Miller was 19-of-38 (.500) from the floor and eight-of-14 (.571) from three-point range in the two games. She previously attained the league’s weekly award earlier this season (Jan. 5).

Last Season: Ferris State concluded the 2002-03 campaign with a 15-11 overall mark, which included a fourth-place (tie) 10-8 GLIAC North Division finish. FSU reached the GLIAC Tournament for the fourth consecutive year and posted its seventh straight 10-win campaign a year ago.

The Bulldog Tradition: The Ferris State women’s basketball program, which is midst its 30th anniversary campaign, has compiled a 353-382 (.480) all-time mark. The Bulldogs won the GLIAC North Division crown, advanced to the 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 ranked among the nation’s top 25 academic teams four consecutive seasons.

Head Coach Tracey Fisk: Sixth-year FSU head coach Tracey Fisk presently ranks as Ferris’ all-time winningest coach with a current 100-57 (.637) career record at Ferris State. A 1996 graduate of Western Michigan, Fisk guided Ferris State to a 22-7 mark and the school's first NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Tournament appearance during the 1999-00 campaign. Prior to FSU, Fisk spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Lake Michigan College (1994-97) and one season at the University of Indianapolis (1997-98). Fisk recorded her 100th career coaching victory at Michigan Tech.

Ticket Information: Individual game tickets to all FSU 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.

At Jim Wink Arena: Ferris has recorded a 37-12 (.755) overall record to date in home contests at Jim Wink Arena, including a 30-11 (.732) 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 137-98 (.583) overall since 1995-96 and sports a 80-65 (.552) record in road/neutral site contests during that span. The Bulldogs are 44-29 (.603) overall in road games under head coach Tracey Fisk, including a 30-21 (.588) record in conference play.

Ferris Roster: Ferris’ 2003-04 roster includes four seniors, three juniors, three sophomores and three freshmen. Eleven players hail from Michigan with one each from Indiana and the Czech Republic.

FSU On The Internet: Ferris State 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 and more. The Bulldogs’ 2003-04 yearbook is also available online.

Preseason All-America: Ferris’ Lucy DeMartin was named to the 2003-04 Women’s Division II Bulletin Preseason Super 16 All-America Team. DeMartin, a 2002-03 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-Great Lakes Region First-Team selection, was also chosen as the publication’s preseason GLIAC Player of the Year. Her team-leading 20.2 points per game scoring average last season ranked first among the school’s all-time leaders and placed second in the GLIAC’s overall statistical rankings.

GLIAC Games On The Air: Ferris’ 2003-04 league games will be carried live by local radio station WBRN-1460 AM. Selected league contests can also be accessed live via the internet by clicking on the Bulldog Athletics Webcasts icon at www.ferris.edu/sports.

Between The Lines: “Between The Lines”, a weekly television program profiling Ferris State University Athletics, airs across northern Michigan on WFQX-Fox 33 every Saturday at 3:30 p.m. (ET). The 30-minute program is hosted by Phill Mooney and produced in the studios of the University’s cable Channel 7. FSU head coach Tracey Fisk will make appearances throughout the season. The show is also aired locally on the University's cable Channel 7 every Tuesday (7 p.m.) and Wednesday (8 p.m.).

Bulldog Bites: Ferris’ win at Michigan Tech was its first in Houghton since posting a 66-46 triumph Jan. 15, 1987. The victory ended a 16-game losing skid to MTU at the SDC Gymnasium ........ FSU's 10-1 league start following Thursday's victory ranked as the school's best conference start ever. FSU previously began GLIAC play with an 8-1 record en route to the 1999-00 GLIAC North Division title ........ Lucy DeMartin currently has 1,507 career points and needs 66 more to match Monta Ware's (1979-83) school-record output of 1,573 career points. DeMartin presently has an active 52-game double-figure scoring streak ...... Senior forward/center Molly Potvin (Lansing/Catholic Central) has reached double-figure scoring in 12 of her last 14 outings to date. She is 20 points away from scoring her 500th career point ........ Junior forward Sarah Duesing (Sault Ste. Marie) currently is 16 points away from attaining her 300th career point ........ FSU had its seven-game winning streak snapped by Northern Michigan. The seven-game streak was the school's longest since winning seven-straight in 2000-01 (11/30-12/20) ........ Senior forward Stephanie Benear (Howell) needs 13 rebounds to garner her 300th career board ..... The Bulldogs have registered eight of their 15 victories this campaign by five points or less and are unbeaten (8-0) in those contests. Ferris has won 11 of its last 12 such games dating back to last season.

Looking Ahead: Ferris will visit rival Grand Valley State Monday, Feb. 16, for a 6 p.m. (EST) conference encounter in Allendale, Mich. The Bulldogs will then battle Northwood Saturday, Feb. 21, in a 5:30 p.m. (EST) league tilt at Midland, Mich.

FSU Picked Third: Ferris was picked to finish third in the 2003-04 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll. The Bulldogs totaled 26 points and one first-place vote in the balloting by the GLIAC’s head coaches. Grand Valley State was selected as the GLIAC North Division favorite while WSU took the South Division’s top spot.

A Look At The Opponents:

Saginaw Valley State: The Cardinals maintain a 38-21 advantage heading into this Thursday’s 60th series meeting. However, FSU has won 10 straight series’ games and beat SVSU 90-88 in the team’s last meeting (12/13/03) held at University Center, Mich. SVSU is presently 15-7 overall and 7-6 in the GLIAC after last Wednesday’s (Feb. 4) 71-39 league win at Northwood. FSU head coach Tracey Fisk presently has a 10-1 career coaching record against the Cardinals. Saginaw Valley State, which is led in scoring by senior guard Jennifer Brogger (16.6 ppg), was 4-22 overall in 2002-03 and placed seventh (0-18) in the GLIAC’s North Division. The Cardinals, who are guided by third-year head coach Kim Chandler and have won three of their last four games to date this campaign, were picked to finish seventh in the 2003-04 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll. Brogger previously played at Ferris and scored 626 points from 1999-02 before transferring to SVSU.

Lake Superior State: LSSU holds a 40-26 series’ advantage and has won the last six meetings entering this Saturday’s 67th encounter. Fisk currently has a 4-8 career coaching mark against Lake Superior State and dropped a 88-70 decision in the last meeting (12/11/03) between the two teams at Big Rapids (Mich.) High School. LSSU, which is directed by sixth-year head coach Kris Dunbar, presently is 18-3 overall and 11-2 in the GLIAC after Monday’s (Feb. 9) 68-59 league home win over Grand Valley State. The Lakers, who have won their last four games to date, compiled a 23-6 overall record in 2002-03 and placed first (15-3) in the GLIAC’s North Division. LSSU, which was picked to finish second in the 2003-04 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll, reached the NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Tournament a year ago. Junior guard Randi Johnson presently ranks as LSSU’s leading scorer (15.9 ppg).