The Bulldogs opened up the game with an 11-point lead only three minutes into the contest, which set the tone for Ferris in this matchup. Tech would close the early gap and even grab the lead for a few minutes, but as the first half came to a close, the Bulldogs held a six-point advantage, 35-29.
Another hot start to the second half would help down the Huskies as the Bulldogs would extend the lead to 13 points early in the second stanza. Michigan Tech would give a valiant effort in the fight back, but in the end the Bulldog defense would prove too much, and Ferris upset the Huskies by a final score of 74-66.
The Bulldog defense forced Michigan Tech into 11 turnovers and one of their worst shooting nights (43.4 percent) of the year.
Senior guard Kenny Brown led the way with 18 points in the win, and senior forward Daniel Sutherlin displayed his becoming a big post presence for this team, as he netted seven rebounds.
“[Sutherlin] is a great player to have on the defensive end. He plays hard and plays with energy, and on the offensive end, he’s always someone to look to go to,” sophomore guard Dietrich Lever said.
The following game the Bulldogs faced off against one of the league’s cellar dwellers in Northern Michigan. The offenses in this game struggled, as neither team shot over the 40 percent benchmark, but the Bulldogs’ ability to force turnovers would be the difference in this contest.
Ferris scored 14 points off of 15 turnovers, while NMU managed to score only four points off of Bulldog turnovers. Along with turnovers, free throw shooting helped determine this game, as Ferris netted 18 free throws while holding Northern to only five made free throws.
Once again, senior big man Sutherlin showed off his skills, grabbing eight of Ferris’ nine rebounds in the game. Sophomore guard Drew Lehman scored a team-high 15 points, as the Bulldogs cruised to a 51-41 victory by outscoring them by 13 in the second half.
“It’s huge playing on your home court. It’s the rims you shoot on every day, and it gives you more confidence and energy,” Lever said. “Hard work is starting to pay off, and we’ve been playing with more energy in the last few games.”
These wins put Ferris State right in the thick of things in the GLIAC North, with an 8-6 overall record and a 7-3 record in the GLIAC conference. The 7-3 mark puts the Bulldogs into a tie for third place with the Huskies of Michigan Tech and keeps them within a game of second place Grand Valley.
Ferris has now won four straight games all coming against GLIAC opponents and all on home court, and the Bulldogs are starting to hit their stride. Ferris will go on the road next as they travel to Northwood Jan. 17 and Lake Superior State Jan. 19 for more GLIAC conference action.