Ferris State Battles #12 Michigan Tech To The Finish In GLIAC Road Setback

Postgame Interview 

HOUGHTON, Mich. — The Ferris State University men's basketball battled nationally 12th-ranked Michigan Tech to the finish on Saturday (Jan.10) in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play, falling by a final score of 81-72 at the SDC Gymnasium.

After falling behind by seven at halftime, FSU scored the opening seven points of the second half to tie the game back up. MTU answered with a 12-0 run grab a double-digit lead, but Ferris State pulled back within six down the stretch before the Huskies pulled out the win.

The Michigan Tech victory came despite a strong effort from the Bulldogs' bench as FSU's reserves contributed 45 points in the setback.

Ferris State opened with a determined effort on the road, highlighted by forward Justin Asi's two early 3-pointers, which kept the team within striking distance of Michigan Tech. A key moment came when Asi hit a 3-pointer at 3:18, narrowing the gap and energizing the visitors. Despite this, the Huskies maintained their lead, bolstered by strong shooting in the paint. The half concluded with FSU trailing 38–31, setting the stage for a competitive contest.

The Bulldogs narrowed the gap early in the second half with a 7-0 burst, highlighted by Owen Hardy's jumper and senior Brandon Claerbaut's three-pointer at 18:34 to tie the game at 38. Despite the momentum, the Huskies responded with a series of successful plays, including a three-pointer from Marcus Tomashek, eventually pulling away. Ferris State managed to keep the score close with consistent contributions from Asi and Joey Cabana, but ultimately fell short as the half concluded at 43-41 in favor of Michigan Tech.

Asi scored a season-high 21 points, converting five 3-pointers and making six field goals. Claerbaut finished with 11 points, including three 3-pointers. Bryce Moore contributed 12 points and provided four assists.

The Bulldogs also got a big lift from the addition of newcomer Tae Boyd, who made his collegiate hoops debut after starting as a wide receiver on FSU's national championship football team this past fall. He added 12 points while also recording six rebounds and two steals in his first collegiate regular-season contest.

Tomashek led Michigan Tech with 25 points, connecting on five-of-12 field goals and sinking 13-of-14 free throws. He also contributed six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Dawson Nordgaard added 11 points for the Huskies, making three-of-four shots from the field and five-of-nine from the free throw line, while securing five rebounds and blocking one shot. Gabe Smith tallied eight points on three-of-five shooting and matched that with six rebounds, adding one block. Nate Abel provided a strong presence on the boards, gathering eight rebounds and scoring seven points, converting five-of-six free throws.

Overall, the Bulldogs were called for 30 fouls in the game, which led to 42 Michigan Tech free throws in the road setback.

The Huskies improved to 14-2 overall this year with the win while FSU fell to 6-6 overall and 3-2 in conference play.

The Bulldogs will take on Northern Michigan on Monday (Jan. 12) evening to close out the trip to the Upper Peninsula with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m. (ET) in Marquette.