ELKINS – The Davis & Elkins College Men's Basketball team opened up their season Saturday afternoon against Ferris State University, falling to the defending national champions 89-70 at the McDonnell Center.
 
The Senators ran into a hot shooting Bulldogs squad over the opening 20 minutes. Ferris State jumped out to a 55-32 lead after shooting 72 percent from the field, including 9-for 12 from behind the arc, in the first half.
 
In the second half, the Senators made a huge comeback big, holding the Bulldogs to 44 percent shooting while forcing 11 turnovers on seven steals as Davis & Elkins cut the deficit to as little as little as 12.
 
Davis & Elkins was led by Donte Doleman, who finished with 16 points in the contest. Edmund Parker, Trevor English and Emre Yildirim also finished in double figures for the Senators.
 
Parker finished with 14 points off the bench and shared in the team high of rebounds with six with Erkam Kiris. Parker and Yildirim had a team high in three pointers with three each. Yildirim finished with 11 points.
 
English finished with 13 points and had one rebound. English also had three assists and a steal.
 
Marcus Friend led the Senators in assists, finishing with four. He also led all players in the contest with five steals, four of which came in the second half. Friend finished with seven points.
 
Davis & Elkins will be back in action tomorrow, as the Senators host Grand Valley State in the final game of the GLIAC/G-MAC Crossover Tournament. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. at the McDonnell Center.