BLOG 36: Big trip coming up for Bulldog men’s basketball team

By Sandy Gholston

Ferris State University basketball player Dontae Molden handles the basketball while he is being pressured during a game earlier this season (Photo/Sandy Gholston)

BIG RAPIDS – Historically, it ranks as one of the most challenging road trips of the season for the Ferris State University men’s basketball team.

This year’s trip will be no different as the Bulldogs pack their bags and head to the Upper Peninsula for the annual two-game road swing to face Northern Michigan (Jan. 29), in Marquette, and Michigan Tech (Jan. 30), in Houghton.

This trip is significant for the Bulldogs in the standings, but it also will be an intriguing game to see how the team bounces back from one of its most disappointing outings of the season (an 80-65 home loss to Northwood on Saturday in Jim Wink Arena). The defensive effort was nowhere near what Ferris had been putting forth during its victories and it showed as Northwood was able to find wide open shots and knock them down with consistency (led by the NU guards).

Credit clearly goes to the Timberwolves for performing at a high level. It’s difficult to travel anywhere on the road in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and shoot with the proficiency we saw from Northwood on Saturday in Big Rapids. So, credit goes to Coach Bob Taylor for having his squad ready to play. However, the Bulldogs know they must bounce back to playing the kind of ball that had allowed them to win six of seven games prior to Saturday’s 15-point loss to Northwood.

Ferris must recommit itself to playing the kind of defense fans witnessed during that successful stretch where the Bulldogs got and maintained good defensive position, hustled to more loose basketballs, crashed the boards like demons and kept the pressure up regardless of what group was on the floor in the crimson and gold colors.

Guard play will be important (playing on the road) as sophomore Darien Gay and freshman Dontae Molden will need performances like they had during the team’s upset earlier in the season on the road against North Division leader Lake Superior. Gay and Molden can spark this team and control the tempo – something that could be important in these two games.

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