The No. 1 Ferris men’s basketball team is heading to the NCAA Division II Midwest Region Semi-Finals for the second straight year.
The Bulldogs defeated the No. 8 Ohio Dominican Panthers 75-57 Saturday, March 10, in a game that was much closer than the final score indicated.
The first half of action was dictated by rugged defense on both sides of the court, with the Bulldogs recording two steals and five blocks and forcing five Panther turnovers. Ferris escaped that half with a narrow 30-29 lead.
The second half began with both teams trading baskets, but it was the Bulldogs who were able to pull ahead with solid contributions from senior guard Noah King and senior wing Tyquone Greer.
Ferris earned most of their points from the starting five as only senior guard Peter Firlik failed to reach double digits in the scoring column.
Junior center Zach Hankins had a great game, posting a double-double and leading the team in points with 16, rebounds with 11 and blocks with three. Junior wing Markese Mayfield also played a significant role, making a splash with three steals, two blocks, 12 points and eight rebounds.
With the win, the Bulldogs earned their 21st consecutive victory and improved to a 33-1 overall record.
Ferris will play at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 11 with the winner of tonight’s NCAA Div. 2 Midwest Region Quarterfinals matchup between the No. 4 Lake Superior State University Lakers and No. 5 Hillsdale Chargers.
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