BLOG 29: Lake Superior and Saginaw present challenges for FSU men

By Sandy Gholston

Ferris State University basketball player Jim Boylan (54) goes up for a shot in the paint during the Bulldogs’ home game in Jim Wink Arena against Kuyper College (Jan. 5) (Photo/Sandy Gholston)

BIG RAPIDS – Winning road games, any place in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, is no easy task.

This week, the Bulldogs resume GLIAC competition with road action that will take Ferris to Sault Ste. Marie, to face Lake Superior State University in the Upper Peninsula, and then back across the Mackinac Bridge to University Center to challenge Saginaw Valley State University on Saturday.

Expect two big-time challenges for the Bulldogs facing a Laker squad that is one of the hottest teams in the conference with a good group of long-range shooters to complement a nice inside presence. As is often the case with good shooting squads … they tend to shoot better at home than on the road. Want evidence? Lake State (7-4 overall, 4-2 in the GLIAC) hit a staggering 22 triples, including a school-record nine from senior guard Mark Morse, in a 102-74 win Saturday against Saginaw Valley.

Saginaw Valley has had some struggles this season, but the Bulldogs have never seemed to have an easy time winning in the Cardinals’ enormous gym, O’Neill Arena. While Lake Superior has success with good shooters and a precision offense, the Cardinals are a different kind of team that features athletes and good one-on-one players capable of taking over a game.

The Bulldogs are coming off a 115-60 rout of Kuyper, but must be ready for some stronger competition this week.

As a side note, Ferris redshirt freshman center Jim Boylan will have a chance to play against his twin brother Mike Boylan’s Lake State team on Thursday in Sault Ste. Marie. The 6-foot-10 twins are natives of Grayling. This season, Jim has played in seven games this season for the Bulldogs and is averaging 1.4 points in 3.1 minutes. Mike has played in nine games this season and is averaging 1.7 points in four minutes per contest.

If you have any questions, ideas or comments feel free to contact Sandy Gholston at sgholston2@netzero.com