FSU Women’s Basketball At A Glance - The Ferris State University women’s basketball team will host the Northwood Timberwolves in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) action this Thursday (Jan. 16) with tipoff slated for 6 p.m. (EST) at FSU’s Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs then visit the nationally-ranked Grand Valley State Lakers this Saturday (Jan. 18) for a 6 p.m. (EST) league encounter at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena in Allendale, Mich. FSU, which is presently 8-5 overall and 3-3 in conference action, ranks 294th of 1,319 institutions (all levels) represented in the latest (Jan. 13) Dunkel Sports Research Index Women’s Basketball Ratings.

Ferris Wins Road Game - Ferris State snapped a two-game losing skid with an 80-66 GLIAC win over the Ashland Eagles last Saturday (Jan. 11) at AU’s Kates Gymnasium in Ashland, Ohio. Freshman guard Erin Miller (Niles) led the Bulldogs with a game-high 23 points and nine rebounds. Junior guard Lucy DeMartin (Mason) added 18 points while sophomore forward Molly Potvin (Lansing/Catholic Central) registered 10 points.

Last Season - Ferris State finished the 2001-02 campaign with a 14-12 overall mark, including a fourth-place 10-8 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division finish. The Bulldogs advanced to the GLIAC Tournament for the third consecutive season. Senior forward Patti Larson (Kalkaska) and Molly Potvin are Ferris’ 2002-03 team captains. Ten letterwinners and three starters return this season.

The Bulldog Tradition - The Ferris State women’s basketball program has compiled a 331-370 (.472) all-time mark in its 28 previous campaigns. 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.

FSU Open House - The Mecosta County Area Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Ferris State University Athletics Department will hold a "Business After Hours" open house prior to this Thursday’s women’s basketball game from 5-6:30 p.m. (EST) at the Ewigleben Sports Complex Lobby area on the FSU campus. The open house, which is open to the public, provides a unique opportunity for those in the local and area communities to tour Ferris State's Jim Wink Arena and the Ewigleben Ice Arena. For more information, contact Assistant Athletics Director Brian Kegler at (231) 591-2970 or via email at keglerb@ferris.edu.

Home Sweet Home - Ferris is presently 28-10 (.737) overall 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, which won its first 14 games in the facility, is currently 6-2 (.750) in non-league outings and 22-8 (.733) in GLIAC play at the new Jim Wink Arena.

Hitting The Road Again - Ferris State is 115-86 (.572) overall since 1995-96 and sports a 67-56 (.545) record in road/neutral site contests during that span. The Bulldogs are 34-21 (.618) overall in road games under head coach Tracey Fisk, including a 22-17 (.564) record in conference play.

Head Coach Tracey Fisk - Fifth-year FSU head coach Tracey Fisk has a current career 78-45 (.634) coaching 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).

Big Day For Miller - Erin Miller, who has posted eight double-figure scoring games to date, totaled a personal career-high nine rebounds at Ashland. Miller presently ranks as FSU’s third-leading scorer (12.3) this campaign and is shooting 45 percent (17-38) from three-point range. She has scored 10 points or more in five of her last seven games to date. The 5-7 Miller currently ranks tied for first among NCAA-II’s leaders in single-game three-point field goal percentage (.857, 6-7, vs. Saint Joseph’s, Ind. - 12/15).

DeMartin Among The Leaders - Lucy DeMartin presently has scored 883 career points and needs 43 more to move into an 11th-place tie with Tianna Kirkland (926; 1997-01) on FSU's career scoring leaders list. DeMartin, who has scored 10 points or more in 18 consecutive games dating back to last season, presently has scored 20 points or more in six of her last 12 outings. She ranks seventh (.347; 52-150) among Ferris’ career three-point field goal percentage leaders to date and needs seven more treys to tie Ann Rienstra (59; 1986-89) for 11th place on the school’s all-time made three-point field goal chart. DeMartin, who currently ranks sixth (.789; 213-270) on the school’s career free throw percentage chart, presently has 199 career assists and needs 18 more to tie Ann Rienstra (217; 1986-89) for 10th place among FSU’s career leaders. She has 105 career steals to date and is 20 short of matching Jill Thayer’s (125; 1994-98) 10th-place career total. The 5-9 DeMartin is 13 made free throws away from tying Kirkland (226; 1997-01) for ninth place.

Bulldog Bites - Junior forward/center Bridget Horwitz (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) is averaging 20.1 points and 9.0 rebounds in her eight road/neutral site appearances to date ....... The Bulldogs’ top three season scoring leaders (Lucy DeMartin, Horwitz, & Erin Miller) have accounted for 633 of the squad's 955 total points (66%) this season ....... Junior forward Stephanie Benear (Howell) needs 11 points to garner her 200th career point while Molly Potvin is 15 points shy of reaching the same mark. Potvin has scored 10 points or more in three of her last five outings to date ..... Lucy DeMartin has led FSU in scoring seven times in the last 12 games ..... Freshman forward Darcie Philp (Ubly) totaled a personal career-high seven points in the win over the Eagles, which surpassed her previous career-high six-point effort versus Saint Francis, Ill. (11/23) ..... Five of Ferris' eight wins this campaign have came by 10 points or more ..... The Bulldogs are averaging 75.7 points per game in their nine road/neutral site contests compared to only 68.5 points per game in four home games.

The Status Of Horwitz - Bridget Horwitz is listed as questionable for this Thursday’s contest after missing last Saturday’s game due to an infection. A 2001-02 All-GLIAC Second-Team pick, Horwitz currently has an active 20-game double-figure scoring streak dating back to last season. She is averaging a team-high 10.1 rebounds per game and ranks second (18.3 ppg) among Ferris' scoring leaders. The 6-2 Horwitz currently has made 332 career field goals and is 33 shy of tying Jodi Raab’s (365; 1989-93) 10th-place career mark. She has 69 career blocked shots to date and needs one more to tie Heather Rosneck (70; 1995-99) for second place. Horwitz, who currently ranks eighth (.481; 332-690) on FSU’s career field goal percentage chart, has 435 career rebounds to date and is four shy of tying Ola Earvin (439; 1993-95) for 14th place among the school’s leaders.

Against The Opponents - Ferris State will open GLIAC North Division play versus Northwood and Grand Valley State this week.

Northwood: Ferris holds a 31-12 series’ advantage and has won 13 consecutive contests entering this Thursday’s 44th meeting. FSU head coach Tracey Fisk currently has a 8-0 career coaching mark against the Timberwolves and led the Bulldogs to a 68-63 in the last meeting (2/9/02) between the teams at Big Rapids, Mich. NU, which is directed by third-year head coach Kelli Parker, presently is 6-8 overall and 2-4 in the GLIAC after last Saturday’s (Jan. 11) 76-74 league win at Gannon. The Timberwolves, who have won three consecutive games to date, compiled a 6-19 overall record in 2001-02 and placed seventh (2-16) in the GLIAC’s North Division. Northwood, which was picked to finish sixth in the 2002-03 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll, is led in scoring by sophomore forward Kate Deupree (12.1 ppg).

Grand Valley State: The Lakers maintain a 41-18 advantage heading into this Saturday’s 60th series meeting. However, FSU has won three straight games and beat GVSU 70-64 in the team’s last meeting (2/11/02) held at Allendale, Mich. GVSU is presently 15-1 overall and 6-1 in the GLIAC after last Thursday’s (Jan. 9) 72-55 league win at Ashland. FSU head coach Tracey Fisk presently has a 6-3 career coaching record against the Lakers, whose only loss this campaign came at home to Hillsdale (Jan. 4). Grand Valley State, which is led in scoring by junior center Julie Zeeff (16.0 ppg), was 13-13 overall in 2001-02 and placed fifth (7-11) in the GLIAC’s North Division. The Lakers, who are guided by first-year head coach Dawn Plitzuweit, were picked to finish fourth in the 2002-03 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll. GVSU is ranked 12th in the latest (Jan. 8) USA Today/ESPN/Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll.

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 Saginaw Valley State Cardinals Thursday, Jan. 23, at SVSU’s James E. O’Neill Arena in University Center, Mich. Tipoff for the league encounter is slated for 6 p.m. (EST). The Bulldogs will then visit the Lake Superior State Lakers Saturday, Jan. 25, for a 1 p.m. (EST) conference contest in LSSU’s Bud Cooper Gymnasium at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Ferris On The Internet - Ferris State University Athletics’ official web site can be found at www.ferris.edu/sports. The site features information on all of FSU’s varsity athletics programs.