FSU Men’s Basketball At A Glance - The Ferris State University men’s basketball team will battle the Grand Valley State Lakers this Monday (Feb. 10) in an 8 p.m. (EST) Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) contest at FSU’s Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs will then host the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals in their regular-season home finale this Saturday (Feb. 15) with league tipoff slated for 3 p.m. (EST). FSU, which is presently 9-13 overall and 5-9 in conference action, ranks tied for fourth place in the GLIAC North Division standings with GVSU, SVSU and Northwood.

Ferris Splits Two Outings - The Bulldogs handed the Lake Superior State Lakers an 85-71 league setback last Thursday (Feb. 6) at Big Rapids. FSU then dropped an 82-72 conference decision to the Northwood Timberwolves last Saturday (Feb. 8) at NU’s Bennett Sports Center in Midland, Mich. Ferris matched its best league mark (5-13; 2000-01) and surpassed its best overall record (8-18; 2000-01) in the last four seasons with Thursday’s victory. Senior center Adam Anderson (Kent City) notched his first double-double performance this campaign with 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead FSU versus LSSU. Freshman guard Dennis Springs (Toledo, Ohio/Scott) added 14 points along with 10 assists. Sophomore guard Corey Epps (Benton Harbor) and junior guard Willie Thomas (Columbus, Ohio/Eastmoor Academy) both registered 13 points while sophomore guard Carlton Epps (Benton Harbor) tallied 11 points. Anderson totaled a game-high 28 points, Thomas scored 16 points and Carlton Epps registered 14 points in the loss at Northwood.

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.

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 876-820 (.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 in 1997-98, captured a league-record four consecutive GLIAC titles from 1986-90.

Home Court - Ferris State is presently 4-4 (.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 a 13-33 (.283) overall mark in its fourth season at the new Jim Wink Arena.

On The Road - FSU is 334-289 (.536) overall since 1980-81 and sports a 158-195 (.448) record in road/neutral site contests during that span. Ferris is 4-8 (.333) on the road this season.

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.

Among The Leaders - Adam Anderson, a 2000-01 All-GLIAC North Division First-Team honoree, presently ranks seventh on FSU’s career scoring leaders list. Anderson, who has scored 10 points or more in 56 of his last 59 games, currently has 1,532 career points and needs 181 more to tie Jarvis Walker (1,713; 1985-89) for sixth place on Ferris’ career scoring leaders list. The 6-10 Anderson, who currently ranks as Ferris’ career blocks leader (134), is third on the school’s career made free throw chart (466-700) and needs 18 more to tie Jesse Mangham (484; 1966-72) for third 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 12 of the last 15 games to date, presently has 590 career rebounds and is four short of tying Toy Palmer (594; 1959-62) for 10th place on Ferris' career list. Anderson scored his 1,500th career point against Lake Superior State and is averaging 21.5 points per game in his last four outings.

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 GLIAC-member representatives. He has reached double-figures 76 times in 101 career games.

Bring Back The Bulldogs - The FSU men’s basketball team will honor former player Mike Stodola (1973-77) prior to Monday’s game as part of its “Bring Back The Bulldogs” alumni program. Stodola, who currently serves as GVSU’s Facilities Manager, compiled 102 points and 41 rebounds while leading Ferris to a 74-35 overall record during his FSU playing career.

Bulldog Bites - Willie Thomas has scored 10 points or more in 10 of his last 11 contests to date. He has 60 made three-point field goals this campaign and is presently tied with Randy Prince (60; 1994-95) for fifth place on Ferris’ single-season list. He is 12 treys short of tying Joe Blankenship’s (72; 1992-93) school single-season record ......... Carlton Epps, who has posted double-digit scoring performances in 12 of his last 16 outings, notched his 100th career steal at Northwood. He needs 17 points to attain his 500th career point ...... Corey Epps currently has seven double-figure scoring games in his last 11 appearances ........ Sixteen of Ferris' 22 opponents this campaign had a .500 record or better prior to the contest while seven of Ferris' 13 losses have been by eight points or less ......... Senior guard Brian Monahan (Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor Pioneer) is two assists shy of recording his 200th career assist ........ Adam Anderson’s current 32 blocks this season ranks sixth on the school’s single-season list. He is presently averaging 8.0 rebounds per game in his last five appearances ......... Dennis Springs’ current 131 assists to date this campaign is the school’s top mark since Jeff Byrd (132; 1989-90) registered FSU’s seventh-best all-time single-season total ........ Junior forward Nathan Wruble (Harbor Beach) needs eight points to register his 200th career point ..... Ferris’ three three-point baskets at Northwood were a season low.

Against The Opponents - FSU will host Grand Valley State and Saginaw Valley State.

Grand Valley State: Ferris holds a 42-34 advantage heading into this Monday’s 77th encounter and defeated GVSU 81-57 in the last meeting (1/18/03) at Allendale, Mich. GVSU is currently 10-12 overall and 5-9 in GLIAC action after posting a 73-63 conference home victory over Lake Superior State last Saturday (Feb. 8). Grand Valley State, 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 (13.7 ppg). The Lakers have lost three of their last four games to date under sixth-year head coach and former Bulldog assistant coach (1987-88) Terry Smith. GVSU was 15-13 overall during the 2001-02 campaign and placed tied for third in the GLIAC North Division with a 8-10 mark.

Saginaw Valley State: The Bulldogs maintain a 37-27 lead entering this Saturday’s 65th series meeting. However, the Cardinals have won two of the last three contests and defeated Ferris 75-67 in the last meeting between the teams (1/23/03) at University Center, Mich. Saginaw Valley State is presently 11-12 overall and 5-9 in league play heading into this Thursday’s (Feb. 13) GLIAC game at Grand Valley State following last Saturday’s (Feb. 8) 85-77 league win at Northern Michigan. The Cardinals, under fifth-year head coach Dean Lockwood, were 5-21 overall during the 2001-02 campaign and compiled a sixth-place 2-16 GLIAC North Division record. SVSU, which is led in scoring by sophomore forward Anthony Parker (19.7 ppg), was picked to finish sixth in the 2002-03 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll. Saginaw Valley State has dropped two of its last three games to date.

Between The Lines - Between The Lines, a weekly television program profiling Ferris State University Athletics, continues to be aired across northern Michigan on WFQX-Fox 33 every Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. (ET). The 30-minute program is hosted by Ira Childress and produced in the studios of the University’s cable Channel 7. FSU men’s basketball head coach Bill Sall will make regular appearances throughout the season. The show is also aired locally on the University's cable Channel 7 every Tuesday (7 p.m.), Wednesday (8:30 p.m.) and Sunday (7 p.m.).

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 conclude the 2002-03 regular-season campaign next weekend (Feb. 20-22) in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The Bulldogs will battle the Northern Michigan Wildcats Thursday, Feb. 20, in a 7:30 p.m. (EST) league contest at NMU’s Berry Events Center in Marquette, Mich. FSU will then visit the Michigan Tech Huskies Saturday, Feb. 22, for a 3 p.m. (EST) conference encounter in MTU’s Student Development Complex Gymnasium at Houghton, Mich.