TWO FERRIS MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYERS RECEIVE GLIAC KUDOS

Carlton Epps & Dennis Springs Both Honored For Second-Straight Year

Carlton Epps

Dennis Springs

Two members of the 2004-05 Ferris State Unviersity men's basketball team have claimed All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) recognition as announced Thursday (March 3) by the league office.

Senior guard Carlton Epps (Benton Harbor) was named to the GLIAC North Division First Team for the second consecutive year while junior guard Dennis Springs (Toledo, Ohio/Scott) picked up second-team GLIAC North Division accolades for the second-straight season. In addition, both Epps and Springs garnered GLIAC North Division All-Defensive Team kudos for the second year in a row.

Epps was joined on the division's first team by Michigan Tech's Josh Buettner and Jason Marcotte, Callistus Eziukwu of Grand Valley State and Northern Michigan's Ricky Volcy. Buettner claimed the GLIAC Player of the Year Award for the second consecutive campaign while Eziukwu was named GLIAC Freshman of the Year and Findlay head coach Ron Niekamp picked up league Coach of the Year recognition in voting conducted by the conference's 13 head coaches.

The 6-2 Epps currently ranks as the league's second-leading scorer (19.6 ppg) this campaign. He also leads the conference in both made three-point field goals (3.26 pg) and steals (3.30 spg) this season. Epps is presently 29 points away from scoring his 1,500th career point and 126 points shy of tying Adam Anderson (1998-03) for seventh place on the school’s career scoring chart. He tallied GLIAC North Division Player of the Week accolades three times this season.

Epps has 89 steals to date this campaign and has passed Day Day Smith's single-season record of 69 thefts recorded back in 1997-98. In addition, he is only three three-pointers shy of matching Willie Thomas’ single-season best of 91 treys a year ago. Epps has reached double-figure scoring in 27 of his last 28 contests dating back to last season.

The 5-6 Springs has currently scored 10 points or more in nine consecutive outings this campaign. Presently, he leads the GLIAC in assist/turnover ratio (2.95) and ranks second in assists (7.0 apg) along with third in free throw percentage (.831).

Springs surpassed Tim Herman’s school single-season assists record (186) set in 1977-78 during Tuesday’s (March 1) 103-98 GLIAC Tournament quarterfinal round win over Northern Michigan at FSU's Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. Springs, who has posted 189 assists to date this season, also registered his 500th career assist versus NMU and is only 21 away from tying Jarvis Walker’s (1985-89) school-record career mark of 532 assists. He needs 64 points to become the 24th player in school history to notch 1,000 career points at FSU.

The duo guided the Bulldogs to their second-straight GLIAC North Division Regular-Season Championship this season. FSU, which is currently 22-5 overall this campaign, has won 11 consecutive contests to date and is ranked 19th in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC)/Division II Bulletin National Poll.

The Bulldogs will square off against Wayne State Friday, March 4, in the semifinal round of the GLIAC Tournament at Findlay, Ohio. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (EST).