Ferris State Wins Overall GLIAC Championship & Secures #1 Seed As 'Dawgs Cut Down Nets

Postgame Interview & Celebration
Postgame Video Highlights 

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's basketball squad made it a memorable day on Saturday (Feb. 18) as the Bulldogs beat Michigan Tech 81-76 in a hard-fought battle to claim the overall Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championship inside FSU's Jim Wink Arena.

The Bulldogs, who had already won the divisional crown, secured the number one seed for the conference tournament and cut down the Wink Arena nets following the program's first regular-season championship since 2012.

FSU, which won the league postseason tournament each of the past two seasons, also celebrated Senior Day with the squad's lone senior, guard Quentin Ruff, honored prior to the contest. He helped fuel the win with a team-high 20 points.

Ferris State led by seven points at halftime, but Michigan Tech rallied to take a one-point 
lead with 11:21 to play. However, the Bulldogs quickly answered and seized control, sinking 
free throws down the stretch to preserve the title-clinching win.

Along with Ruff, the Bulldogs received 15 points from junior guard Drew Cushingberry to go with 13 points and 10 rebounds by sophomore center Zach Hankins in a double-double performance. 

Junior guard Peter Firlik chipped in 10 points as three FSU players reached double-digits in 
the triumph.

Michigan Tech fought hard with Kyle Monroe and Bryan Heath both totaling a game-high 22 points apiece. Jason Hawke chipped in with 13 points.

Ferris State shot 49% overall and went eight-of-21 (38.1%) from three-point land with a 17-of-23 (73.9%) showing from the free throw line.

Meanwhile, Michigan Tech hit on 47% of its field goals and sank eight-of-20 (40%) three's with a six-of-10 (60%) effort at the stripe.

The Bulldogs outrebounded MTU 36-30 for the day and also outscored the Huskies 16-10 in points off turnovers despite totaling 15 to only 12 for MTU. FSU held a slim 9-8 margin in second chance production and tallied 21 points on the break to 13 for the visitors.

With the win, Ferris State improved to 23-4 overall and 17-3 in the GLIAC this season. MTU fell to 14-13 overall and 12-8 in conference play.

Ferris State hosts rival Grand Valley State in the regular-season finale on Thursday, Feb. 23, 
inside Wink Arena starting at 8 p.m.

After the regular-season concludes, FSU will host a league quarterfinal game on Tuesday, Feb. 28. With a win in the quarterfinal-round, the Bulldogs would also host the league semifinals and finals on March 4-5 in Big Rapids.