PREVIEW: Ferris State Visits Michigan For Friday Night Exhibition In Ann Arbor
Friday, Nov. 4
FSU at Michigan - 7 pm
Crisler Center - Ann Arbor, Mich.
TV: Big Ten Network Plus (BIG+)
Radio: Sunny 97.3 FM (Pregame 6:30 pm)
Audio: FerrisStateBulldogs.com
Click Here For Complete Game Notes (PDF)
This Week's Action
The Ferris State University men's basketball squad, which claimed last year's GLIAC Championship in the regular-season and made its sixth NCAA Division II Tournament appearance in the last eight years, will square off against the University of Michigan in exhibition play on Friday (Nov. 4) night in Ann Arbor. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. (ET).
Media Coverage
Friday's contest will be carried live by local flagship station Sunny 97.3 FM and the Bulldog Sports Network at FerrisStateBulldogs.com with Rob Bentley providing the play-by-play coverage. A free live audio webcast will be offered by FSU along and the game will be televised by the Big Ten Network Plus (BIG+). For a complete listing of links, please visit FerrisStateBulldogs.com.
Special Pregame Reception
The FSU Alumni Association will hold a special pregame reception on Friday starting at 5 p.m. (ET) at the Pizza House in Ann Arbor. The cost is only $35 which includes a game ticket while supplies last. Visit FerrisStateBulldogs.com for additional info and to register.
NCAA Tourney History
The Bulldogs made their 15th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance and their sixth in the last eight years a season ago. 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 Bulldogs claimed their first national championship in 2018 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 advanced to the NCAA Tourney in 2020 before the event was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Fourth Title In Six Seasons
The Bulldogs won the GLIAC Championship last year, which marked the program's fourth title in the past six seasons. Since 2015, FSU has claimed four league regular-season crowns, four conference tournament titles in addition to a regional championship and the 2018 NCAA Division II National Championship.
A Great Stretch
In the past eight years, FSU has made six NCAA Tournament appearances, claimed four GLIAC Tournament Championships, reached the NCAA Midwest Region semifinals three times, claimed four league regular-season titles and also reached the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen twice along with an Elite Eight berth and national title. Over the last eight seasons, the Bulldogs have now compiled a 191-63 overall record, which represents the greatest stretch in school history.
The Head Coach
Andy Bronkema - (Cornerstone), 10th season, 201-79 (.718). Bronkema took over the Bulldog program 10 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 200th game versus Michigan Tech on Feb. 24, 2022.
History Of Success
The Ferris State men's basketball program has a long track record of success that includes more than 1,000 all-time victories, 17 GLIAC Championships and 15 NCAA Tournament appearances. Since 2004, the Bulldogs have reached the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen four times and now won 12 GLIAC regular season or tourney titles.
Another 20-Win Season
The Bulldogs' 22 wins last year represented the seventh time in the past eight years in which FSU had 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 27 wins in 2019-20.
Big Home Record
Ferris State posted a 13-3 overall mark at home inside FSU's Jim Wink Arena last year. The Bulldogs compiled a perfect 22-0 record in 2017-18 at home en route to the national championship. FSU was also 8-5 on the road and 1-1 on neutral floors a season ago.
Both Bulldog Teams In NCAA Tournament
Last year represented the second time in school history in which both the Bulldog men's and women's basketball squads advanced to the NCAA Tournament in the same season. Both teams also accomplished the feat in 2020 before the tournament was cancelled. Last year, both teams won GLIAC North Division Championships as well for the second time in three years.
All-GLIAC Honorees
Ferris State must replace four seniors from a year ago who all earned All-GLIAC honors for the 2021-22 campaign as the league unveiled its postseason award recipients. The Bulldogs' Walt Kelser (Southfield) and Dorian Aluyi (Chicago) were both chosen to the All-GLIAC First Team in voting by the league's member head coaches with Lee Higgins (Chicago) named to the All-GLIAC Second Team. FSU's Logan Ryan (Canton) also received recognition by being chosen to the GLIAC All-Defensive Team.
Alumni Game Victory
The Bulldogs hit the floor for the first time on Oct. 23 and beat a group of stars from the past 107-69 in the alumni game. FSU led 51-33 at halftime and was led by Solomon Oraegbu with 21 points. Sophomore Ethan Erickson added 18 points and wing Deng Reng chipped in with 15 points. The alumni team featured many of the program's top players from the past decade, including seven returning national champions from FSU's 2018 team.
Exhibition Triumph
Ferris State picked up an 85-61 win over Calvin University in exhibition play last Saturday (Oct. 29) inside Jim Wink Arena. Ferris State redshirt junior Dolapo Olayinka scored 16 points to lead the contest in scoring, and chipped in four boards, four assists and a pair of steals in the game. Off the bench, redshirt sophomore Deng Reng scored 11 to go with four rebounds and three steals with a block on the night. The game was knotted at 32-32 at the break, but the Bulldogs shot 56.8 percent from the field in the second half.
Recent D1 Exhibition Results
The Bulldogs played a pair of exhibition games against NCAA D1 opponents a year ago, falling to Michigan State 92-58 at the Breslin Center along with a 100-59 setback at Xavier. The Bulldogs' most recent exhibition game against NCAA Division I competition prior to last year came in 2018-19 when FSU fell to perennial power Duke by a score of 132-48 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The contest was arranged following the Bulldogs' D2 national championship in 2018, continuing the Blue Devils' trend of playing the reigning D2 champion.
National Coach Of The Year
Ferris State head coach Andy Bronkema was chosen in 2018 as a consensus National Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, Division II Bulletin, the Basketball Times and HoopDirt.com after leading FSU to the school's first-ever national championship. He also earned GLIAC Coach of the Year honors for the second-straight campaign and was named the NABC Midwest Region Coach of the Year as well for the second year in a row.
Memorable NCAA D1 Exhibition Games
Ferris State battled national title contender Michigan State tooth and nail in a 80-72 setback inside the Breslin Center in East Lansing in 2017. The Bulldogs took the preseason #2 team in the USA Today Division I Coaches Poll to the wire before the Spartans used a late run to pull out the win ... Ferris State pulled off a thrilling victory in 2014 (12/21/14) as FSU upset NCAA Division I Bowling Green State 82-68 under head coach Andy Bronkema in action at the Stroh Center in Bowling Green, Ohio. The game was played as an exhibition outing for FSU, but counted as a regular-season matchup for BGSU ... FSU topped NCAA Division I Oakland back during the 2000-01 campaign in a road regular-season game and nearly upset Indiana on the Hoosiers' home floor in 2010-11 in an overtime preseason setback after a controversial game-winning shot at the buzzer by the Bulldogs was reversed on a replay review. Over the past decade or so, FSU has also played regular-season or exhibition games against Michigan, Michigan State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Dayton, Detroit, Xavier, Loyola and Toledo among others.
FSU News & Notes
The Bulldogs open regular-season play Nov. 11-12 at the Robert Garrett Crossover Classic in Nashville, facing host Trevecca Nazarene in the opener on Nov. 11 ... FSU will take part in the inaugural Small College Basketball Champions Classic Nov. 18-19 in Aberdeen, S.D. ... The Bulldogs return seven regulars from last season's NCAA Tourney squad and added three transfers. Solomon Oraegbu sat out last year after previously playing at GLIAC member Wisconsin-Parkside while Amari Lee competed a year ago for D2 Roberts Wesleyan (NY). Meanwhile, Dolapo Olayinka did not play last year but previously started for GLIAC member Northern Michigan, earning all-conference honors. Three freshmen and two redshirt freshmen also join the mix this year.
Click Here For Complete Game Notes (PDF)
