Fourth-Ranked Bulldogs Pull Away For Home Win Over Wayne State

Postgame Highlights & Interview 

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's basketball squad, which is ranked fourth nationally, kept its perfect Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) mark intact as FSU topped Wayne State 91-81 on Saturday (Jan. 4) afternoon in a high-scoring affair at Jim Wink Arena.

The Bulldogs, who are now 14-1 overall and 4-0 in the league, outscored WSU 45-38 in the final half after taking a three-point halftime edge. Ferris State shot 47.5% from the floor for the game and went 26-of-32 (81.3%) at the free throw stripe in the win.

FSU fell behind by five points only three minutes into the game, but battled back and took a 46-43 at the break. The Bulldogs led by as many as 12 points in the second half and managed to hold off the Warriors down the stretch for the league victory.

Senior guard Ethan Erickson scored a game-high tying 24 points for the Bulldogs and went 10-of-10 from the free throw line in only 23 minutes of action as he battled foul trouble. Freshman Jaxson Whitaker helped fill the void and poured in 14 points to help the Bulldog cause in 21 minutes of work.

FSU also got 11 points and eight rebounds with four blocked shots from junior big man Nathan Claerbaut while junior Tyler Hamilton added nine points as did Donovan Brown-Boyd. Senior guard Jimmy Scholler scored seven points, dished out a game-high eight assists and grabbed six rebounds for Ferris State.

The Bulldogs posted a 45-37 rebounding margin for the game and outscored WSU 30-22 inside the paint along with 28-20 on the break. FSU also got 36 points from its bench compared to only 18 for the Warriors.

Wayne State was held to 37.3% shooting and the Warriors went 19-of-27 (70.4%) at the free throw line in addition to 12-of-36 (33.3%) from three-point range. Meanwhile, Ferris State finished nine-of-22 (40.9%) beyond the arc.

The Warriors, who fell to 5-7 overall and 1-3 in the GLIAC with the setback, were led by Carmelo Harris with 24 points. Rob Lee, Jr., added 19 points while Kareem Aburashed chipped in 12 points and Jordan Briggs scored 10 points.

Ferris State will continue its four-game homestead next week as the Bulldogs entertain West Michigan rival Grand Valley State on Thursday (Jan. 9) evening at 7:30 p.m. (ET) followed by a Saturday (Jan. 11) afternoon home tilt against Davenport beginning at 3 p.m. (ET).