Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, January 25
Ypsilanti, Mich.
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
10-9,4-3MAC
90
vs
77
Buffalo
6-13,1-6MAC
1
2
F
Buffalo
45
32
77
Eastern Mich.
42
48
90
Eastern Wins Third-Straight, Overcomes 10-Point Second-Half Deficit to Beat Buffalo
1/25/2025 4:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Five Eagles scored 12-plus points in win
Cinematic Highlights
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team won its third-straight game, overcoming a 10-point second-half deficit to upend the University at Buffalo, 90-77, Saturday, Jan. 25, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
Helped by improved defensive pressure, the Eagles outscored the Bulls, 48-32, in the second half, overcoming a 57-47 deficit with 15:57 remaining.
Christian Henry (Chicago, Ill./The Skill Factory/Panola College) led the Eagles with 18 points, six assists, and a career-high six rebounds while Yusuf Jihad (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington/Oakland) netted 15 points, including 12 first-half points, to provide a key boost for Eastern off the bench in a game that featured seven lead changes and 13 ties.
How it Happened
Eastern started off solid from the floor, putting in three of its first four attempts from three-point range but trailed 16-13 six minutes in. After that, Eastern Michigan went on an 18-10 run for the next six minutes, where the Eagles got in front, 31-26, after Jihad got into double-digit territory with 10 points just 12 minutes into the game.
The Eagles trailed, 45-42, heading into the locker room. At halftime, the Eagles had three players in double digits in an offensively-dominated first half.
Eastern Michigan struggled to start the second half. Buffalo went on a 12-5 run to take the lead 57-47 before the Eagles called a timeout. From there, EMU went on a 15-5 run to come even with UB at 62-62 with 10:27 to play. A 9-0 spurt for Eastern put the Eagles up, 78-71, with 3:22 left.
Eastern Michigan closed the game on a 12-5 run to win 90-77 over the Bulls and give the Eagles their fourth win in conference play.
Game Notes
» Eastern moved to 10-9 overall and 4-3 in the MAC while Buffalo moved to 6-13 overall and 1-6 in conference action.
» Eastern Michigan was 32-of-59 (48.0%) from the floor and 5-of-15 (33.3%) from three-point range while Buffalo was 27-of-59 (45.8%) from the field and 11-of-29 (37.9%) from deep. Because the Bulls made 11 threes and lost, it is the first time the Eagles have won a game where their opponent made 11 or more three-pointers was Dec. 18, 2022 against Detroit Mercy, where the Titans made 12 threes and lost the game, 79-77.
» With his 17-point showing Nelson has 15-straight games with at least 10 points for the first time in his career. The last time he had a game under 10 points was at Cleveland State, Nov. 16, when he had four points in a 71-63 loss to the Vikings.
» Jihad scored 15 points while shooting six for seven from the field. The 15 points are a season-high for the Farmington Hills native. It was his third game this season with more than 10 points.
» Henry was an impact on the offense for the Eagles, scoring 18 points while dishing out three assists. The 18 points is the 15th time this season in which he has been over 10 points, including his seventh consecutive game and his highest-scoring for the Eagles' three-game winning streak.
» With two made three-pointers, Henry has converted at least one three-pointer in each of the last 14 games.
» Jalin Billingsley (Cleveland, Ohio Lutheran East Georgetown) was also one of five players who were in double figures for the Eagles, scoring 18 points in the win against Buffalo. The game is the 10th time this season in which he has been over 10 points. The total is the second-most points he has scored this season, behind scoring only 32 in a home win over Siena Heights (Nov. 8).
» Jalen Terry (Flint, Mich./Beecher/Oregon/DePaul) contributed on offense for Eastern Michigan as well, scoring 12 points while having three steals. It is the fifth time in which he has recorded at least three steals in a game.
» Terry has 12 games in double figures this season and 36 such games in his career
» Eastern's 40 bench points are a season high, topping its mark of 28 bench points, set in its last game against Ohio, Jan. 21.
» The Eagles were out-rebounded, 34-26, improving to 2-8 when being out-rebounded this season.
Historical Notes
» EMU moved to 13-22 against Buffalo in the all-time series in the 36th ever meeting against UB. EMU has won two of their last three games against the Bulls.
» Head Coach Stan Heath recorded his 250th career win.
» After scoring 94 points in the win over Ohio, Jan. 21, Eastern has back-to-back games scoring at least 90 points for the first time since scoring 90-plus in three-straight games in the 2022-23 season.
» Eastern forced 20 turnovers, the most by an EMU foe since Central Michigan had 23 turnovers, Jan. 7, 2023.
» EMU had not won three-straight conference games since the 2019-20 season.
» Five Eagles scored at least 10 points. It is the first time since Feb. 28, 2023, at Bowling Green in which Eastern Michigan had five players reach double digits.
» Eastern, which hit five threes against Buffalo, has now hit at least one triple in 632-straight games. EMU last failed to score from downtown Jan. 24, 2004, when Miami University held the Eagles to 0-of-7 from behind the arc. The Eagles have converted multiple three-pointers in 54-straight contests, not having done so most recently in a 1-for-15 performance against Akron, Feb.14, 2023. Dating back to the final game of the 2023-24 season, EMU has 20 consecutive games with at least five made three-pointers, the Eagles' longest streak since at least the 2008-09 season.
» Eastern Michigan from the free throw line went 22 for 23 for a 95.5% mark in the game, a season-best for the Green and White. The percentage is the second-best Eastern Michigan has shot from the line in program history when taking a minimum of 10 free throws as the Eagles were 13-for-13 at Central Michigan Jan. 16, 2021.
» As a team, Eastern Michigan had 16 assists in the win over Buffalo. With the Eagles having 19 assists in the last time out against Ohio, it is the first time they had 16 assists in consecutive games since Nov. 8 and Nov. 12, 2019, where they had 20 assists each against Siena Heights and Goshen. Moreover, the last time they accomplished this in MAC play was doing it three straight games against Toledo, Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, Feb 20, Feb. 24 and Feb. 27 at Western Michigan.
Next Up
Eastern Michigan travels to Miami University for a 2 p.m. game Tuesday, Jan. 28, in Oxford. Eastern is seeking their fourth straight win when they play Miami. EMU has not won four straight games in MAC play since Feb. 13 to March 8, 2018, when it won six straight games to end the regular season and a game in the 2018 MAC Tournament against Akron.
Follow Us
For the most up-to-date information on the Eagles, continue to visit EMUEagles.com. Fans can also follow the team on social media, including Twitter (@EMU_MBB) and Instagram (@EMUMBB).
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team won its third-straight game, overcoming a 10-point second-half deficit to upend the University at Buffalo, 90-77, Saturday, Jan. 25, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
Helped by improved defensive pressure, the Eagles outscored the Bulls, 48-32, in the second half, overcoming a 57-47 deficit with 15:57 remaining.
Christian Henry (Chicago, Ill./The Skill Factory/Panola College) led the Eagles with 18 points, six assists, and a career-high six rebounds while Yusuf Jihad (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington/Oakland) netted 15 points, including 12 first-half points, to provide a key boost for Eastern off the bench in a game that featured seven lead changes and 13 ties.
How it Happened
Eastern started off solid from the floor, putting in three of its first four attempts from three-point range but trailed 16-13 six minutes in. After that, Eastern Michigan went on an 18-10 run for the next six minutes, where the Eagles got in front, 31-26, after Jihad got into double-digit territory with 10 points just 12 minutes into the game.
The Eagles trailed, 45-42, heading into the locker room. At halftime, the Eagles had three players in double digits in an offensively-dominated first half.
Eastern Michigan struggled to start the second half. Buffalo went on a 12-5 run to take the lead 57-47 before the Eagles called a timeout. From there, EMU went on a 15-5 run to come even with UB at 62-62 with 10:27 to play. A 9-0 spurt for Eastern put the Eagles up, 78-71, with 3:22 left.
Eastern Michigan closed the game on a 12-5 run to win 90-77 over the Bulls and give the Eagles their fourth win in conference play.
Game Notes
» Eastern moved to 10-9 overall and 4-3 in the MAC while Buffalo moved to 6-13 overall and 1-6 in conference action.
» Eastern Michigan was 32-of-59 (48.0%) from the floor and 5-of-15 (33.3%) from three-point range while Buffalo was 27-of-59 (45.8%) from the field and 11-of-29 (37.9%) from deep. Because the Bulls made 11 threes and lost, it is the first time the Eagles have won a game where their opponent made 11 or more three-pointers was Dec. 18, 2022 against Detroit Mercy, where the Titans made 12 threes and lost the game, 79-77.
» With his 17-point showing Nelson has 15-straight games with at least 10 points for the first time in his career. The last time he had a game under 10 points was at Cleveland State, Nov. 16, when he had four points in a 71-63 loss to the Vikings.
» Jihad scored 15 points while shooting six for seven from the field. The 15 points are a season-high for the Farmington Hills native. It was his third game this season with more than 10 points.
» Henry was an impact on the offense for the Eagles, scoring 18 points while dishing out three assists. The 18 points is the 15th time this season in which he has been over 10 points, including his seventh consecutive game and his highest-scoring for the Eagles' three-game winning streak.
» With two made three-pointers, Henry has converted at least one three-pointer in each of the last 14 games.
» Jalin Billingsley (Cleveland, Ohio Lutheran East Georgetown) was also one of five players who were in double figures for the Eagles, scoring 18 points in the win against Buffalo. The game is the 10th time this season in which he has been over 10 points. The total is the second-most points he has scored this season, behind scoring only 32 in a home win over Siena Heights (Nov. 8).
» Jalen Terry (Flint, Mich./Beecher/Oregon/DePaul) contributed on offense for Eastern Michigan as well, scoring 12 points while having three steals. It is the fifth time in which he has recorded at least three steals in a game.
» Terry has 12 games in double figures this season and 36 such games in his career
» Eastern's 40 bench points are a season high, topping its mark of 28 bench points, set in its last game against Ohio, Jan. 21.
» The Eagles were out-rebounded, 34-26, improving to 2-8 when being out-rebounded this season.
Historical Notes
» EMU moved to 13-22 against Buffalo in the all-time series in the 36th ever meeting against UB. EMU has won two of their last three games against the Bulls.
» Head Coach Stan Heath recorded his 250th career win.
» After scoring 94 points in the win over Ohio, Jan. 21, Eastern has back-to-back games scoring at least 90 points for the first time since scoring 90-plus in three-straight games in the 2022-23 season.
» Eastern forced 20 turnovers, the most by an EMU foe since Central Michigan had 23 turnovers, Jan. 7, 2023.
» EMU had not won three-straight conference games since the 2019-20 season.
» Five Eagles scored at least 10 points. It is the first time since Feb. 28, 2023, at Bowling Green in which Eastern Michigan had five players reach double digits.
» Eastern, which hit five threes against Buffalo, has now hit at least one triple in 632-straight games. EMU last failed to score from downtown Jan. 24, 2004, when Miami University held the Eagles to 0-of-7 from behind the arc. The Eagles have converted multiple three-pointers in 54-straight contests, not having done so most recently in a 1-for-15 performance against Akron, Feb.14, 2023. Dating back to the final game of the 2023-24 season, EMU has 20 consecutive games with at least five made three-pointers, the Eagles' longest streak since at least the 2008-09 season.
» Eastern Michigan from the free throw line went 22 for 23 for a 95.5% mark in the game, a season-best for the Green and White. The percentage is the second-best Eastern Michigan has shot from the line in program history when taking a minimum of 10 free throws as the Eagles were 13-for-13 at Central Michigan Jan. 16, 2021.
» As a team, Eastern Michigan had 16 assists in the win over Buffalo. With the Eagles having 19 assists in the last time out against Ohio, it is the first time they had 16 assists in consecutive games since Nov. 8 and Nov. 12, 2019, where they had 20 assists each against Siena Heights and Goshen. Moreover, the last time they accomplished this in MAC play was doing it three straight games against Toledo, Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, Feb 20, Feb. 24 and Feb. 27 at Western Michigan.
Next Up
Eastern Michigan travels to Miami University for a 2 p.m. game Tuesday, Jan. 28, in Oxford. Eastern is seeking their fourth straight win when they play Miami. EMU has not won four straight games in MAC play since Feb. 13 to March 8, 2018, when it won six straight games to end the regular season and a game in the 2018 MAC Tournament against Akron.
Follow Us
For the most up-to-date information on the Eagles, continue to visit EMUEagles.com. Fans can also follow the team on social media, including Twitter (@EMU_MBB) and Instagram (@EMUMBB).
Team Stats
UB
EMU
FG%
.458
.542
3FG%
.379
.333
FT%
.750
.955
RB
34
26
TO
20
9
STL
4
12
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
18
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
6
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
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