FSU Men’s Basketball At A Glance - The Ferris State University men’s basketball team will battle the Lake Superior State Lakers in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) action this Thursday (Feb. 6) with tipoff slated for 8 p.m. (EST) in FSU’s Jim Wink Arena at Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs will then visit the Northwood Timberwolves this Saturday (Feb. 8) for a 3 p.m. (EST) league contest at NU’s Bennett Sports Center in Midland, Mich. FSU, which is presently 8-12 overall and 4-8 in conference action, ranks tied for fourth place in the GLIAC North Division standings. Ferris needs one victory to match its best league mark (5-13; 2000-01) and surpass its best overall record (8-18; 2000-01) in the last four seasons.

Bulldogs Snap Skid - Ferris snapped a three-game losing skid with a 74-63 league home win over the Northern Michigan Wildcats last Saturday (Feb. 1). The Bulldogs previously dropped a 98-82 home conference decision to the nationally-ranked Michigan Tech Huskies last Thursday (Jan. 30). Senior center Adam Anderson (Kent City) totaled a game-high 18 points while junior guard Willie Thomas (Columbus, Ohio/Eastmoor Academy) added 15 points in the win over NMU. Sophomore guard Corey Epps (Benton Harbor) scored 12 points, sophomore guard Carlton Epps (Benton Harbor) had 10 points and freshman guard Dennis Springs (Toledo, Ohio/Scott) dished out 11 assists. MTU, which is ranked fourth in the latest (Jan. 28) National Association of Basketball Coaches/Division II Bulletin Top 25 poll, shot 62.7 percent from the floor en route to Thursday’s victory. Anderson registered 22 points for FSU. Thomas and Carlton Epps both added 18 points while Springs chipped in 10 points.

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 875-819 (.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 3-4 (.429) 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 12-33 (.267) overall mark in its fourth season at the new Jim Wink Arena.

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.

Anderson Moves Up - Adam Anderson, a 2000-01 All-GLIAC North Division First-Team honoree, moved past Marcus Kennedy (1,450; 1986-89) into seventh place on FSU’s career scoring leaders list against Michigan Tech. Anderson, who has scored 10 points or more in 54 of his last 57 games, currently has 1,486 career points and needs 227 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 (130), is fifth on the school’s career made free throw chart (444-671) and needs one more to tie Dannie Hayes (445; 1991-95) for fourth 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 10 of the last 13 games to date, presently has 575 career rebounds and is 12 short of tying Ray Waits (587; 1996-99) for 11th place on Ferris' career list.

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-figure scoring 74 times in 99 career games.

Bring Back The Bulldogs - The FSU men’s basketball team will honor former player Dennis Smolinski (1999-01) prior to Thursday’s game as part of its “Bring Back The Bulldogs” alumni program. The 2000-01 FSU Coaches Award recipient currently serves on Ferris’ teaching staff within the information systems management program. He compiled 155 points and 116 rebounds while attaining GLIAC All-Academic Team laurels.

On The Road - FSU is 333-288 (.536) overall since 1980-81 and sports a 158-194 (.449) record in road/neutral site contests during that span. Ferris is 4-7 (.364) on the road this season.

Bulldog Bites - Willie Thomas has scored 10 points or more in eight of his last nine contests to date. He has 56 made three-point field goals this campaign and is presently tied with Randy Prince (56; 1995-96) for seventh place on Ferris’ single-season list. He is 16 treys short of tying Joe Blankenship’s (72; 1992-93) school single-season record ......... Carlton Epps, who has posted double-digit scoring performances in 10 of his last 14 outings, needs four steals to notch his 100th career steal ...... Senior guard/forward Jeff Guernsey (Buckley) attained his 200th career point versus Michigan Tech ....... Corey Epps currently has six double-figure scoring games in his last nine appearances ........ Fifteen of Ferris' 20 opponents this campaign had a .500 record or better prior to the contest while seven of Ferris' 12 losses have been by eight points or less .... Senior guard Brian Monahan (Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor Pioneer) is three assists short of recording his 200th career assist. He currently has 102 career steals and ranks tied for 10th place with David Tuck (1986-90) on Ferris’ all-time chart ..... Adam Anderson attained his 100th career assist versus NMU. His current 28 blocks this season ranks seventh on the school’s single-season list.

Against The Opponents - FSU will battle Lake Superior State and Northwood this week.

Lake Superior State: The Bulldogs maintain a 64-42 lead entering this Thursday’s 107th series meeting. However, LSSU has won five consecutive games and defeated Ferris 85-79 in the last meeting between the teams (1/25/03) at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Lake Superior State is presently 12-10 overall and 6-7 in league play after last Sunday’s (Feb. 2) 78-75 league home win over Northwood. The Lakers, under fifth-year head coach Marty McDermott, were 17-10 overall during the 2001-02 campaign and compiled a third-place 8-10 GLIAC North Division record. LSSU, which is led in scoring by senior guard Ben Dewar (23.3 ppg), was picked to finish fifth in the 2002-03 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll. Lake Superior State has won its last six games to date.

Northwood: Ferris holds a 39-18 advantage heading into this Saturday’s 58th meeting. The Timberwolves have a four-game series win streak and beat Ferris 79-73 in the last meeting (1/16/03) at Big Rapids, Mich. NU is currently 7-13 overall and 3-9 in GLIAC action heading into this Thursday’s (Feb. 6) league game at Grand Valley State after dropping a 78-75 conference decision last Sunday (Feb. 2) at Lake Superior State. NU, which was picked to finish second in the 2002-03 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll, is led in scoring by junior guard Dallas Logan (19.4 ppg). The Timberwolves have lost five consecutive games to date under sixth-year head coach Bob Taylor. Northwood was 18-11 overall during the 2001-02 campaign and placed second in the GLIAC North Division with a 10-8 mark.

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.).

FSU Sports Luncheon - The next FSU Sports Luncheon of the 2002-03 athletics season will be held this Wednesday (Feb. 5) from 12-1 p.m. (EST) at Ferris’ Center Ice in Big Rapids, Mich. Featured speakers include FSU men’s basketball head coach Bill Sall, softball head coach Keri Becker and women’s basketball head coach Tracey Fisk. For more information, contact the FSU Alumni Office at (231) 591-2345.

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 battle the Grand Valley State Lakers in league action Monday, Feb. 10, with tipoff slated for 8 p.m. (EST) at FSU’s Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs then host the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals Saturday, Feb. 15. Tipoff is at 3 p.m. (EST).