Bulldogs Head Into Holiday Break With Win

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's basketball squad got off to a quick start en route to a 57-49 victory over Northern Michigan in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) game on Monday (Dec. 19) night at FSU's Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids.

FSU bolted out to a 35-18 halftime advantage and held on down the stretch despite being outscored 31-22 over the final 20 minutes by the Wildcats.

The Bulldogs improved to 7-4 overall and 4-1 in GLIAC competition with the win while NMU fell to 4-6 overall and 2-3 in the conference.

With the victory, Ferris State also enters the holiday break tied for first place in the GLIAC North Division standings with both Grand Valley State and Michigan Tech.  All three teams hold 4-1 league marks to date following GVSU's 70-68 overtime home win over MTU on Monday night.

Junior guard Kenny Brown (Farmington Hills/Harrison) led the squad with 10 points in the first half, including one three-pointer. Brown finished the contest with 15 points in 36 minutes of action.

Junior forward Daniel Sutherlin (Detroit/Renaissance) chipped in with 13 points in the victory and grabbed seven rebounds with two steals on the night.

Freshman guard Dietrich Lever (Detroit/Canton) added nine points in the triumph.

Ferris State shot only 37.7% from the floor and was five-of-13 (38.5%) beyond the three-point stripe.  However, the Bulldogs also shot 20 free throws (12-20) compared to only 11 for the Wildcats (8-11).

FSU limited NMU to 38.8% shooting for the game with the Wildcats making only three-of-11 (27.3%) three-pointers.  Northern Michigan also turned the ball over 15 times to just 11 for the Bulldogs.

NMU held a 30-22 edge in points scored inside the paint, but the Bulldogs netted 18 points off turnovers to 12 for the visitors. FSU also held a 38-30 advantage on the boards and had 15 offensive caroms.

Northern Michigan was paced by Jared Benson's 15 points and nine rebounds.  DeAndre Taylor contributed 11 points in the setback.

FSU managed eight steals and had four blocked shots to only three steals and four blocks for the Wildcats.

The Bulldog reserves also totaled 18 points with NMU's bench scoring only 10 points.

The contest was the final one prior to the holiday break for the Bulldogs, who won for the seventh time in their last eight contests and bounced back after a 77-64 home loss to divisional favorite Michigan Tech on Sunday (Dec. 18).

Ferris State will return to action as the Bulldogs host Indianapolis in non-league play on Dec. 30 at 3 p.m. (ET) inside Wink Arena.