Strong Road Performance Lifts Ferris State To First Women's Hoops Victory

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University women's basketball squad put together its most complete performance of the season as the Bulldogs posted their first victory of the year with a 69-66 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) road win over Ohio Dominican on Friday (Dec. 11) night in Delaware, Ohio.

The Bulldogs, who have battled injuries early in the year and a young lineup, notched their first win under first-year head coach Kendra Faustin by upsetting the Panthers, who entered the game with a 6-1 overall record. The victory came inside Ohio Weselyan University's Branch Rickey Arena due to graduation ceremonies on the ODU campus.

Ferris State jumped out to a 14-13 lead after the opening quarter in the back and forth contest and led 35-30 at halftime. However, ODU outscored the Bulldogs 25-19 in the third to grab the lead, but FSU jumped in front by seven early in the final frame and held on down the stretch by making key free throws for the victory.

Junior forward Joslyn Nicholson and freshman guard Margo Brown both recorded 16 points in the victory with Brown coming off the bench to knock down four big three-pointers. She also sank two free throws late in the triumph.

Along with Nicholson and Brown, the Bulldogs also received 14 points from freshman guard Alexis Bush, who hit all six of her free throws in the victory. Both sophomore center Rachel McInerney and freshman forward Abby Nakfoor tallied eight points apiece.

Ferris State shot 42% for the night and hit four-of-eight (50%) three's along with 23-of-26 (88.5%) free throws, including 15-of-16 (93.8%) in the final half.

Meanwhile, FSU also limited the Panthers to only 34.9% shooting and ODU made only two-of-16 (12.5%) three's thanks to a strong defensive performance by the Bulldogs. The Panthers hit on 20-of-23 (87%) tries at the charity stripe.

The contest was back and forth the entire night as the lead changed hands 13 times and the score was tied 11 times. Despite the lower shooting figure, Ohio Dominican kept the game close by outscoring FSU 21-4 in second chance production on the heels of 17 offensive rebounds to only nine for the Bulldogs. Overall, ODU held a 39-35 edge on the glass.

The Panthers also outscored the Bulldogs in the paint 34-24 with Madi Rittinger scored a game-high 19 points for Ohio Dominican. Melissa Scherpenberg added 16 points and 11 rebounds in a double-double performance, but those were the lone two ODU players to reach double-digits as the Panthers dropped to 6-2 overall and 2-1 in the GLIAC this campaign.

Sophomore guard Hannah Evo dished out a game-high seven assists for the Bulldogs while Nicholson pulled down a squad-best seven rebounds. Nakfoor added six caroms and three assists.

The Bulldogs will next face Tiffin on Sunday, Dec. 13, in league action at TU's Gillmor Center in Tiffin, Ohio. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. (ET).