Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
PREVIEW: Ferris State Men's Basketball To Make 18th All-Time NCAA Tourney Appearance
Posted: Mar 12, 2025

PREVIEW: Ferris State Men's Basketball To Make 18th All-Time NCAA Tourney Appearance

Click Here For Complete Game Notes (PDF)
Click Here For Regional Website
Click Here For Regional Tickets

NCAA Midwest Regional
March 15-18 | Springfield, Ill.

FSU vs Missouri-St. Louis - Saturday - 8:30 pm ET
Live Stats: UISPrairieStars.com
Video: GLVC Sports Network
Radio: Sunny 97.3 FM
Audio: Bulldog Sports Network

This Week's Action
The Ferris State University men's basketball squad, which claimed the Midwest Regional Championship last year, will take part in the NCAA D2 Midwest Regional beginning this Saturday, March 15, in Springfield, Ill. The fifth-seeded Bulldogs will face fourth-seeded Missouri-St. Louis in the regional quarterfinals on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. (ET). The regional semifinals are on Sunday (March 16) night with the final on Tuesday (March 18) evening.
 
Media Coverage
Saturday's contest along with complete coverage of FSU throughout the NCAA Regional will be carried live by local flagship station Sunny 97.3 FM and the Bulldog Sports Network at FerrisStateBulldogs.com with Rob Bentley and Sandy Gholston providing the play-by-play coverage. A live video webcast will be available on the GLVC Sports Network along with live internet statistics and social media updates. For a complete listing of links, please visit FerrisStateBulldogs.com.
 
Ticket Information
Tickets for the NCAA Regional Tournament can be purchased in advance online at UISPrairieStars.com or via a link from MinerAthletics.com. Prices are $6 for adult general admission seats or $5 for senior citizens (age 65+) or $4 for children 12 and under.
 
NCAA Tourney History
Ferris State will be making its 18th all-time NCAA Division II Tournament appearance this weekend, including its ninth trip to the big dance in the past 11 years. The Bulldogs claimed the school's first NCAA D2 National Championship in 2017-18 with a 38-1 overall record and advanced back to the NCAA D2 Elite Eight last season by winning the Midwest Regional Tournament in Indianapolis. This year marks FSU's fourth consecutive trip to the big dance.
GLIAC Tourney History
The Bulldogs won the GLIAC Tournament Championship last year, which marked the program's sixth all-time tournament crown and fifth since 2015. Since 2015, FSU has claimed four league regular-season crowns, five conference tournament titles in addition to two regional championships and the 2018 NCAA Division II National Championship.
 
A Great Stretch
In the past 11 years, FSU has now made nine NCAA Tournament appearances, claimed five GLIAC Tournament Championships, reached the NCAA Midwest Region semifinals six times, claimed four league regular-season titles and also reached the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen three times along with two Elite Eight berths and national title. Over the last 11 seasons, the Bulldogs have now compiled a 268-88 overall record, which represents the greatest stretch in school history.
 
The Head Coach
Andy Bronkema - (Cornerstone), 12th season, 278-104 (.728).  Bronkema took over the Bulldog program 12 years ago following six years as an assistant coach, including the previous three as the program's top assistant. A collegiate standout at NAIA Division II Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Mich., Bronkema was voted All-Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) three times and twice garnered NAIA Honorable Mention All-America laurels. He was a multi-sport prep standout at McBain (Mich.) High School. Bronkema garnered National Coach of the Year honors from numerous sources following FSU's 2018 national title run. He won his 250th game versus Grand Valley State a year ago.
 
History Of Success
The Ferris State men's basketball program has a long track record of success that includes more than 1,300 all-time victories, 17 GLIAC Championships and 18 NCAA Tournament appearances. Since 2004, the Bulldogs have reached the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen five times and won 13 GLIAC regular season or tourney titles.
 
Another 20-Win Season
The Bulldogs' 25 wins to date this year represents the 10th time in the past 11 years in which FSU has won 20 games or more in a single campaign. The Bulldogs posted a school-record 38 wins in 2017-18 along with 28 victories in 2016-17 and 28 last season in 2023-24. 
 
Big Home Record
Ferris State posted a 16-1 overall mark at home inside FSU's Jim Wink Arena this year. The Bulldogs compiled a perfect 22-0 record in 2017-18 at home en route to the national championship. FSU is also 8-6 on the road and 1-1 on neutral floors to date this campaign.
 
Both Bulldog Teams In NCAA Tournament
This year represents the fourth time in school history in which both the FSU men's and women's basketball squads have advanced to the NCAA Tournament in the same season. Both teams also accomplished the feat in 2020 before the tourneywas cancelled along with 2021-22. Both reached the D2 Elite Eight last year.

Postseason Honorees
Ferris State had three student-athletes receive All-GLIAC honors for the 2024-25 season. FSU senior guard Ethan Erickson was honored as an All-GLIAC First Team selection, earning all-conference honors for the third year in a row. Senior forward Reece Hazelton was tabbed to the all-conference second team. Meanwhile, junior Nathan Claerbaut was a GLIAC All-Defensive Team honoree. In the GLIAC Tournament, senior Jimmy Scholler claimed all-tournament team recognition for the Bulldogs.
 
NCAA Tournament History
Ferris State has made 17 previous NCAA Tournament appearances, and this year marks FSU's ninth trip to the big dance in the past 11 years. The Bulldogs reached the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championship Game and the Sweet Sixteen of the national tournament in 2016 before making another regional semifinal appearance in 2017. The following year, in 2018, the Bulldogs claimed their first national championship while finishing with an all-time NCAA best 38-1 overall record after winning the Midwest Regional on their home floor at Jim Wink Arena. FSU also garnered a men's berth in 2020 before the cancellation along with reaching at least the regional semifinals the last three years in a row, including a regional title and Elite Eight appearance last season.
 
Midwest Regional Matchups
The complete first round matchups and NCAA Midwest Regional pairings are below:
 
Saturday, March 15 - Quarterfinals
(3) Michigan Tech vs. (6) Northern Michigan | 1 pm ET
(2) Lake Superior State vs. (7) Lincoln (Mo.) | 3:30 pm ET
(1) Missouri S&T vs. (8) Malone | 6 pm ET
(4) Missouri-St. Louis vs. (5) Ferris State | 8:30 pm ET
 
The winners will take part in the regional semifinal games on Sunday (March 16) evening with the championship game on Tuesday (March 18). The single-elimination national tournament field includes eight regions of eight teams apiece. The Midwest Regional champion will advance to the NCAA Division Elite Eight with quarterfinal-round play on March 25 and the semifinals on March 27 in Evansville, Ind. This year, the national championship game will be contested on March 29 at the Ford Center in Evansville.
 
FSU vs UMSL
Ferris State and Missouri-St. Louis met in the NCAA D2 Midwest Regional Semifinals two years ago and the Tritons pulled out a 82-68 win over the Bulldogs at Nicoson Hall in Indianapolis.
 
Ferris State Notebook 
The Bulldogs have five seniors on their roster, including four who will be in the NCAA Tourney for the fourth in a row in Ethan Erickson, Jimmy Scholler, Reece Hazelton and Deng Reng. Together, they rank as one of the winningest senior classes in school history.
 
Ferris State won D2 national championships in men's basketball in 2018 along with football in 2021, 2022 and 2024.
 
The Bulldogs are fourth nationally in blocks (5.8 pg.) along with eighth in defensive rebounds (29.6 pg.) and field goal percentage defense (.396).  FSU is also ninth nationally in bench points per game (36.9).
 
Nathan Claerbaut is fifth nationally in blocks (78) while Jimmy Scholler ranks 12th in assist/turnover ratio (3.05). Meanwhile, Ethan Erickson is 16th in three-point field goals made (92) and 18th in free throw percentage (.888).
 
FSU made its first-ever Elite Eight appearance in 1988 prior to making its second in 2018 and third last year.
 
Ethan Erickson has tallied 1,533 career points and is FSU's all-time leader with 327 made three's. Jimmy Scholler ranks second in school history in assists (527), seventh in steals (162), tied for 12th in blocked shots (67) and 18th in rebounds (.583). His 152 career games played are the most in Bulldog history.