BULLDOG DUO RECEIVES GREAT LAKES REGION ALL-TOURNEY HONORS

Carlton Epps & Dennis Springs Recognized For Leading FSU To Sweet Sixteen

Senior guard Carlton Epps (right) and head coach Bill Sall (left) speak to the media during the postgame press conference after FSU's quarterfinal round triumph over Indianapolis in the NCAA Tournament

Senior guard Carlton Epps (Benton Harbor) and junior guard Dennis Springs (Toledo, Ohio/Scott) were honored Tuesday (March 15) as NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region All-Tournament Team selections for their performances in guiding Ferris State to the championship game of the men's basketball regional tournament this past week in Findlay, Ohio.

The other all-tourney selections included the University of Findlay's Marwan Gaines, Dustin Pfeifer and Chris Commons. Gaines picked up tournament Most Valuable Player Award kudos.

The 6-2 Epps totaled a team-best 18 points in Tuesday's 94-73 loss to tourney host and top-ranked Findlay before a sellout crowd of 2,046 at Croy Gymnasium. He previously had recorded 24 points in FSU's 99-79 quarterfinal round win over Indianapolis Saturday (March 12) before scoring 19 points against Southern Indiana Sunday (March 13) in the Bulldogs' 93-87 semifinal victory.

Epps concluded his collegiate career ranked among the school's all-time leaders in scoring (1,544), rebounds (454), steals (270), assists (250), free throw percentage (.820), three-point field goal percentage (.426), made three-pointers (240) and blocked shots (53). In addition to posting school career records for three-pointers and steals, he also notched single-season marks with 102 treys, 95 steals and free throw percentage (.883) this season. He also became only the sixth player in Bulldog history to score over 600 points in a campaign as he finished the year with 602 total points.

The 5-6 Springs netted six points along with six assists versus Findlay after registering 15 points and three assists in the win over USI. He opened the tournament Saturday with 13 points, nine assists and seven rebounds against the Greyhounds. Springs set a school single-season record with 213 assists this year and also broke Jarvis Walker's (1985-89) school career mark of 532 assists in Tuesday's loss to Findlay.

Ferris State reached the regional championship game for only the third time in school history this season. The Bulldogs, who concluded the year with a 24-7 overall record, fell one game shy of advancing to the NCAA-II Elite Eight for the second time. The Bulldogs' 24 victories this campaign represent the third-most wins in school history.

"We had a great season and I'm proud of our guys," Epps said. "We didn't want the year to end, but we've brought the program back and it has been great to be a part of that."

FSU won its second-straight Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division Championship this season and compiled a school-best 15-1 overall record at Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs, who were ranked 23rd in the final (March 8) Division II National Poll, also advanced to the GLIAC Tournament for the second year in a row while earning their seventh all-time NCAA-II Tournament appearance during the 2004-05 season.