Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, November 21
Ypsilanti, Mich.
6:30 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Oakland
Eastern Set For Friday Night Matchup Against Oakland
11/20/2025 5:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EMU hosting Golden Grizzlies for 6:30 p.m. tip, Nov. 21
| Men's Basketball vs. Oakland | |
| Dates/Times | Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 | 6:30 p.m. ET |
| Venue | George Gervin GameAbove Center (8,754) | Ypsilanti, Mich. |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes (PDF) |
| Watch Live | ESPN+ |
| Listen Live | WEMU (89.1 FM) | The Varsity Network App |
| Live Stats | Fan Stats | Media Stats |
| @EMU_MBB | @EMUAthletics | |
| @emumbb | @emuathletics | |
| Tickets | Tickets for home games |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Coming off a comeback win at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 18, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team takes on Oakland University Friday, Nov. 21, at 6:30 p.m. inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
ON AIR
Eastern Michigan and Oakland will air on ESPN+ with Brent Balbinot and Reggie Butler on the call. Tom Helmer has the call live on WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network App. Live stats will also be available on EMUEagles.com.
OPENING TIPS
»EMU overcame a 13-point second-half deficit to upend Detroit Mercy, 72-62, Nov. 18. Addison Patterson scored all 15 of his points in the second half as Mo Habhab had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
»The Eagles outscored IU Indy in the second half but were unable to get over the hump after coming back from a 14-point second-half deficit to tie the game at 74-74. EMU was led by 23 points from Addison Patterson while getting 16 points from Jon Sanders II and 15 points and 10 rebounds from Mo Habhab in the 90-83 loss.
»Eastern finished 9-9 in MAC play and 16-16 overall in the 2024-25 season and secured its bid to the MAC Tournament for the first time since 2020, playing in postseason competition in Cleveland for the first time since 2018.
»EMU replaced key contributors from last year's squad. The Eagles returned 7.8% of minutes played (502) and 2.9% of points scored (69). Jalen Terry ranked second in the MAC at 16.6 points per game while Da'Sean Nelson was sixth with 16.0 points per game. Both players were named Second Team All-MAC. Christian Henry scored 14.7 points per game and Jalin Billingsley added 10.5 points per game.
»Eastern has a quartet of high-profile road games in the 2025-26 season (Nov. 10 at Pittsburgh, Nov. 24 at #6 Louisville, Nov. 26 at Cincinnati, and Dec. 2 at Butler).
»The Eagles were picked ninth in the MAC Preseason Poll after placing tied for sixth last season.
»EMU has nine players from the state of Michigan, its most since the 2022-23 season (11).
»Eastern Michigan's Stan Heath is in his fifth year at the helm of the Eagles, holding a 49-80 record at EMU and a 258-287 record over 18 years as a collegiate head coach.
DETROIT MERCY RECAP, NOV. 18
SCORING/RUNS SUMMARY AGAINST UDM
» Eastern led, 10-2, before leading 17-8.
» The Titans outscored the Eagles, 31-13, in the rest of the half, highlighted by a 16-4 run to lead, 39-30 at halftime.
» UDM had its largest lead of the game at 43-30 but EMU held the hosts scoreless for 7:45 en route to using a 17-4 run to tie the game at 47-47.
» After the game was knotted at 54-54, EMU outscored UDM, 18-8, the rest of the way.
NOTEWORTHY PLAYERS AGAINST UDM
» Addison Patterson: 15 points (all in second half), seven rebounds, and +23 plus-minus
» Jon Sanders II: 17 points (3-7 3PT)
» Mo Habhab: 11 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists
» Godslove Nwabude: career-high 10 points and six rebounds
KEY TEAM STATS AGAINST UDM
» EMU outrebounded UDM, 40-36
» EMU was 7-of-19 (36.7%) and UDM was 1-of-19 (5.3%) from three-point range, including a 0-of-13 second-half mark
» EMU had a season-high 15 assists on 25 made baskets, compared UDM's five assists on 22 made field goals
13-POINT SECOND HALF COMEBACK
Despite trailing 43-30, with 18:16, Eastern Michigan rallied to win at Detroit Mercy, 72-62. The 13-point second-half comeback marked EMU's largest since overcoming a 17-point second-half deficit to beat Kent State in overtime, Jan. 6, 2024.
LARGEST ROAD WIN SINCE 2022
Eastern's 72-62 win at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 18, marks its largest road win since winning at Florida International by 12 points, 80-68, Nov. 30, 2021.
IU INDY RECAP, NOV. 14
SCORING/RUNS SUMMARY AGAINST IU INDY
» Eastern led, 15-7.
» IU Indy used a 14-4 run to take a 21-19 advantage.
» The Jaguars scored 26 points in the final 5:42 of the first half to lead 49-38 at the intermission.
» IU Indy extended its advantage to 52-38 before the Eagles clawed their way back, tying it at 74-74 with 6:08 left.
» The visitors scored 16 of the final 25 points.
» IU Indy won, 90-83.
NOTEWORTHY PLAYERS AGAINST IU INDY
» Addison Patterson: 23 points (4-4 3PT), four rebounds, three assists, and three steals
» Jon Sanders II: 16 points in first start
» Mo Habhab: 15 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals
» Godslove Nwabude: eight points, six rebounds in 10:40 of court time
KEY TEAM STATS AGAINST IU INDY
» EMU outrebounded IU Indy, 40-36
» EMU was 7-of-25 (28.0%) and IU Indy was 10-of-21 (47.6%) from three-point range
» EMU's bench was outscored by IU Indy's, 31-12
PITTSBURGH RECAP, NOV. 10
SCORING/RUNS SUMMARY AGAINST PITTSBURGH
» Eastern led, 4-0.
» Pittsburgh scored 27 of the next 33 points to lead 27-10.
» Pittsburgh led, 45-32, at halftime.
» Pittsburgh's lead bounced from 9-16 throughout the second half as EMU most notably trimmed the deficit to 10 with 7:12 left en route to outscoring the hosts in the second half, 34-33.
» Pittsburgh won, 78-66.
NOTEWORTHY PLAYERS AGAINST PITTSBURGH
» Carlos Hart: 19 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and one block
» Mo Habhab: 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and one block
» Addison Patterson: 13 points, six rebounds, four assists
» Jon Sanders II: nine points (6-of-6 FT) in 9:56 of court time
KEY TEAM STATS AGAINST PITTSBURGH
» EMU was 22-for-59 (37.3%) from the floor while Pittsburgh went 30-for-60 (50.0%)
» EMU was 18-for-21 (85.7%) from the free throw line while Pittsburgh was 12-for-23 (52.2%)
» EMU had 10 turnovers but forced just eight
ON THE OAKLAND GAME
IF EASTERN WINS...
» EMU will improve 13-9 all-time against Oakland.
» EMU will secure its first home win over Oakland since Dec. 6, 2017.
» EMU will improve to 92-102 over Horizon League schools.
» EMU will improve to 3-2 for the third-straight season.
EASTERN AGAINST THE HORIZON
Eastern holds a 91-102 all-time mark against current Horizon League schools. Outside of the MAC, the Horizon League is the only conference in which EMU has played every single member at least once in program history. With Friday's 194th meeting between Eastern and a Horizon League school, EMU will have played 97 more games against the Horizon League than any other conference outside of the MAC (97 games against Big Ten, 12-85)
Full series history against Oakland can be found on page 3.
ALL-TIME AGAINST THE HORIZON 91-102
Cleveland State 24-10
Detroit Mercy 24-63
Green Bay 5-6
IU Indy 4-2
Milwaukee 7-5
Northern Kentucky 0-1
Oakland 12-9
Purdue-Ft. Wayne 3-2
Robert Morris 4-0
Youngstown State 7-4
Wright State 1-0
EASTERN 3-2 FOR THE THIRD-STRAIGHT YEAR?
With a win against Oakland Friday, Nov. 21, Eastern would improve to 3-2 for the third-straight year.
EMU has not had three-straight seasons starting 3-2 or better since Rob Murphy's 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20 teams all started 4-1 or better.
ALUMNI DAY AGAINST OAKLAND
Eastern Michigan will celebrate Alumni Day against Oakland, Nov. 21, recognizing the 35th anniversary of the 1991 team that made the Sweet Sixteen.
A veteran group of players proved that chemistry is indeed important on a basketball team as the 1990-91 squad put EMU on the national basketball map with an extended run at the NCAA Championship.
Playing with four seniors in the starting lineup, the 1990-91 team advanced all the way to the "Sweet 16" in the NCAA tournament before falling to national power North Carolina.
During that wondrous run into the third round of the NCAA tournament, the Green and White used a combination of power basketball (Marcus Kennedy), high-flying acrobatics (the Thomas twins, Carl and Charles), end-to-end action (Lorenzo Neely and
Kory Hallas) and a bench that was small in numbers but big in heart (Joe Frasor and Roger Lewis) to capture the nation's imagination as a true "Cinderella" team.
Eastern was able to make it to the NCAA tournament after winning its second Mid-American Conference regular-season and post-season titles.
As MAC tournament champion, Eastern was automatically in the NCAA field of 64 and was sent to the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y., for the first round, seeded No. 12. Head Coach Ben Braun's crew came up with two big wins in Syracuse. In the first game, Eastern knocked off No. 5 seed Mississippi State,
76-56, and followed that up with a 71-68 overtime win over No. 13 seed Penn State. Those victories propelled EMU into the "Sweet 16" where the No. 1 seeded Tarheels of UNC won, 93-67.
Expected attendees:
» Harold Simons: 1964-68
» Deron Goheen: 1986-88
» Lorenzo Neeley: 1987-91
» Carl Thomas: 1988-91
» Kory Hallas: 1988-92
» Kahlil Felder: 1990-92
» Von Nickleberry: 1989-94
» Jon Zajac: 1994-98
» Corey Tarrant: 1996-2000
» Solomon Mcgee: 1998-2000
» Michael Ross: 2001-05
» Zane Gay: 2005-09
» Matt Balkema: 2009-13
» Jim Streeter (SID)
» Brian Miller (coach)
» Charles Ramsey (coach)
*1991 team in bold italics
ACTIVE 2025-26 SEASON NOTES
FOUR-STRAIGHT 11-POINT GAMES
Redshirt freshman Mo Habhab produced at least 11 points outputs in each of the season's first four games.
With Habhab's performances, he is the first Eastern freshman to have four-straight games with at least 11 points in each game since Orlando Lovejoy in the 2021-22 season, who had a streak as long as six games with at least 14 points.
THREE DOUBLE-DOUBLES IN FOUR GAMES
Mo Habhab has produced double-doubles against Georgia State (15-16), Nov. 3; IU Indy (15-10), Nov. 14; and Detroit Mercy (11-10), Nov. 18.
He is the first Eagle to record three double-doubles in a four-game span since James Thompson IV in the 2018-19 season, who had a stretch of four-straight games with a double-double in that season.
BACK-TO-BACK 16-POINT GAMES
Jon Sanders II has started the last two games, scoring 16 points against IU Indy, Nov. 14, and 17 points at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 18.
Sanders II has scored 16-plus points in back-to-back games at three different Division I schools but has never done so in three-straight games.
Sanders II opened the 2024-25 season at Northwestern State by scoring 16 points against Dallas Christian and 18 points against Texas Tech after scoring 17 points against Wofford and 17 points against College of Charleston while at Coastal Carolina.
THR33-POINT STR3AK, 651-STRAIGHT GAM3S
After converting seven three-pointers against Detroit Mercy, Nov. 21, Eastern has hit at least one three-pointer in 651-straight games. EMU last failed to score from downtown Jan. 24, 2004, when Miami held the Eagles to 0-of-7 from behind the arc.
LIMITED THREE-POINT ATTEMPTS
Eastern Michigan has just 69 three-point attempts through its first four games.
The 69 three-point attempts in four games is EMU's fewest in its first four games of the season since the 2015-16 team also had 69 three-point attempts through its first three games.
EASTERN IN THE MAC-SBC CHALLENGE
Eastern is 3-2 in the MAC-SBC Challenge and 3-0 at home. The Eagles will play a road game, Feb. 7, against a to-be-determined opponent in the second leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge.
Eastern's MAC-SBC Challenge Results:
Date Against Score
Nov. 3, 2025 Georgia State W, 71-49
Feb. 8, 2025 Old Dominion W, 76-70
Nov. 4, 2024 at Texas State L, 44-64
Feb. 10, 2024 at Louisiana-Monroe L, 76-82
Nov. 11, 2023 Georgia Southern W, 70-60
PREVIOUSLY IN THE 2025-26 SEASON NOTES
MO HABHAB'S PERFORMANCE AGAINST GSU
Mo Habhab, just a redshirt freshman, produced an impressive 15 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in the 71-49 win over Georgia State, Nov. 3.
Habhab is the first player in the MAC to record that stat line or better since Nov. 22, 2003, when Northern Illinois' Marcus Smallwood had 17 points, 21 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks.
There was a total of eight performances in Division I with a player tallying at least 15 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in the 2024-25 season, none of which were by freshmen. Through games, Nov. 11, 2025, Habhab is the only player in Division I to achieve that line this season.
Habhab is the first freshman in the nation to record at least 15 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks since former Gonzaga Bulldog and recent NBA champion Chet Holmgren had 20 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, and five blocks, Feb. 5, 2022, against BYU.
Habhab is the first Eagle to have 15+ and 15+ rebounds in one game since James Thompson IV had 20 points and 23 rebounds, March 5, 2019, against Ball State.
Habhab is the first Eagle to record 16 rebounds in one game since Boubacar Toure had 17 against Akron, Jan. 4, 2020. In regard to Habhab's eight offensive rebounds against Georgia State, Toure is also the last Eagle with at least eight offensive rebounds in one game, grabbing nine against Michigan-Dearborn, Nov. 14, 2019. James Thompson IV's 11 offensive rebounds against Ball State, Jan. 8, 2019, marks the last time an Eagle had at least eight against a Division I foe.
PRE-2025-26 SEASON NOTES
WHAT IS EASTERN RETURNING FROM LAST YEAR?
Eastern returned four players from its 2024-25 roster. The Eagles returned 7.8% of minutes played (502) and 2.9% of points scored (69).
» John Shanu II: 287 minutes, 38 points
» Godslove Nwabude: 207 minutes, 29 points
» Cooper Smith: 7 minutes, 2 points
» Mbaye N'Diaye: 1 minute, 0 points
TOUGH ROAD CONTESTS ON THE HORIZON
Eastern will have a quartet of high-profile road games in the 2025-26 season:
» Nov. 10 at Pittsburgh; L, 66-78
» Nov. 24 at #12 Louisville
» Nov. 26 at Cincinnati
» Dec. 2 at Butler
Eastern has not played four Power Conference foes in one season since the 2018-19 season when the Eagles took on Duke, Rutgers, TCU, and Kansas, all on the road.
EMU began the 2023-24 season by playing at Butler.
DePAUL DUO --> NORTHWESTERN STATE DUO
Out with one transfer duo and in with another. After DePaul transfers Da'Sean Nelson and Jalen Terry teamed up to both earn Second-Team All-MAC honors in the 2024-25 season, Eastern acquired another transfer duo in the offseason as Northwestern State transfers Addison Patterson and Jon Sanders II decided to become Eagles.
MAC --> EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern added a trio of players who were at MAC schools at one point in their careers:
» Mo Habhab: Central Michigan in 2024-25
» Braelon Green: Bowling Green in 2024-25
» Aidan Rubio: Central Michigan in 2023-24
NCAA ELIGIBILITY: PATTERSON AND SMITH
Both Addison Patterson and Cooper Smith had waivers approved by the NCAA to be eligible for the 2025-26 season. EMU compliance officers Alex Hensley and Kayla Gribble played a key role in getting both student-athletes eligible with Patterson's ruling coming exactly one month prior to the first game.
PRESEASON PICKED NINTH
After finishing tied for sixth in 2024-25, EMU was picked ninth in the MAC preseason coaches' poll.
2025-26 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First Place Votes)
1. Akron (11) – 143
2. Miami (2) – 133
3. Kent State – 122
4. Ohio – 108
5. UMass – 98
6. Toledo – 95
7. Bowling Green – 73
8. Ball State – 62
9. Eastern Michigan – 52
10. Western Michigan – 46
11. Buffalo – 37
12. Central Michigan – 31
13. Northern Illinois – 14
Tournament Champion: Akron (8), Miami (2), Kent State (1), Ohio (1) UMass (1)
The six Ohio schools made up six of the top seven with UMass taking fifth, while the bottom six is filled with the rest of the MAC schools.
STAYING HOME
Eastern Michigan has nine players from the state of Michigan, its most since the 2022-23 season (11).
EASTERN MICHIGAN IS HOME
Eastern's 14 players have combined to play for 28 different schools prior to coming to Eastern Michigan. In total, three Eagles (Gregory Lawson II, Godslove Nwabude, and Mbaye N'Diaye) began their collegiate careers at EMU.
ANY STAFF CHANGES?
Eastern's staff saw minor changes in the offseason:
» Carlos McMath: promoted to Director of Operations/Assistant Coach from Director of Operations
» Pritish Kokate: promoted to Head Student Manager from Student Manager
» Alex Kling: hired as Graduate Manager
» Shawn McCall: hired as Graduate Manager
COOPER SMITH: 8TH-OLDEST PLAYER
Cooper Smith is the eighth-oldest player in Division I, and one of 13 known players born in the 20th century:
1. Ramel Bethea, Green Bay - July 27, 1996
2. Corey Sands, Chicago State - Jan. 5, 1999
3. Nginyu Ngala, Kansas - April 3, 1999
4. Curt Lewis, Southern Miss - May 19, 1999
5. Olajuwon Ibrahim, FIU - May 26, 1999
6. Antwaan Jones, UNCG - May 29, 1999
7. Blaise Keita, Western Kentucky - June 29, 1999
8. Cooper Smith, Eastern Michigan - July 12, 1999
9. Devin Haid, South Florida - Aug. 22, 1999
10. Hunter Erickson, Hawaii - Sept. 14, 1999
11. Dawson Baker, BYU - Oct. 29, 1999
12. Bouna Kebe, Delaware - Dec. 24, 1999
13. Jordan Brinson, CSUN - Dec. 31, 1999
UP NEXT
Eastern travels to No. 6 Louisville Monday, Nov. 24, at 7 p.m. inside the KFC Yum! Center.
FOLLOW US
For the most up-to-date information on the Eagles, visit EMUEagles.com. Fans can also follow the team on social media, including Twitter (@EMU_MBB) and Instagram (@EMUMBB).
ON AIR
Eastern Michigan and Oakland will air on ESPN+ with Brent Balbinot and Reggie Butler on the call. Tom Helmer has the call live on WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network App. Live stats will also be available on EMUEagles.com.
OPENING TIPS
»EMU overcame a 13-point second-half deficit to upend Detroit Mercy, 72-62, Nov. 18. Addison Patterson scored all 15 of his points in the second half as Mo Habhab had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
»The Eagles outscored IU Indy in the second half but were unable to get over the hump after coming back from a 14-point second-half deficit to tie the game at 74-74. EMU was led by 23 points from Addison Patterson while getting 16 points from Jon Sanders II and 15 points and 10 rebounds from Mo Habhab in the 90-83 loss.
»Eastern finished 9-9 in MAC play and 16-16 overall in the 2024-25 season and secured its bid to the MAC Tournament for the first time since 2020, playing in postseason competition in Cleveland for the first time since 2018.
»EMU replaced key contributors from last year's squad. The Eagles returned 7.8% of minutes played (502) and 2.9% of points scored (69). Jalen Terry ranked second in the MAC at 16.6 points per game while Da'Sean Nelson was sixth with 16.0 points per game. Both players were named Second Team All-MAC. Christian Henry scored 14.7 points per game and Jalin Billingsley added 10.5 points per game.
»Eastern has a quartet of high-profile road games in the 2025-26 season (Nov. 10 at Pittsburgh, Nov. 24 at #6 Louisville, Nov. 26 at Cincinnati, and Dec. 2 at Butler).
»The Eagles were picked ninth in the MAC Preseason Poll after placing tied for sixth last season.
»EMU has nine players from the state of Michigan, its most since the 2022-23 season (11).
»Eastern Michigan's Stan Heath is in his fifth year at the helm of the Eagles, holding a 49-80 record at EMU and a 258-287 record over 18 years as a collegiate head coach.
DETROIT MERCY RECAP, NOV. 18
SCORING/RUNS SUMMARY AGAINST UDM
» Eastern led, 10-2, before leading 17-8.
» The Titans outscored the Eagles, 31-13, in the rest of the half, highlighted by a 16-4 run to lead, 39-30 at halftime.
» UDM had its largest lead of the game at 43-30 but EMU held the hosts scoreless for 7:45 en route to using a 17-4 run to tie the game at 47-47.
» After the game was knotted at 54-54, EMU outscored UDM, 18-8, the rest of the way.
NOTEWORTHY PLAYERS AGAINST UDM
» Addison Patterson: 15 points (all in second half), seven rebounds, and +23 plus-minus
» Jon Sanders II: 17 points (3-7 3PT)
» Mo Habhab: 11 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists
» Godslove Nwabude: career-high 10 points and six rebounds
KEY TEAM STATS AGAINST UDM
» EMU outrebounded UDM, 40-36
» EMU was 7-of-19 (36.7%) and UDM was 1-of-19 (5.3%) from three-point range, including a 0-of-13 second-half mark
» EMU had a season-high 15 assists on 25 made baskets, compared UDM's five assists on 22 made field goals
13-POINT SECOND HALF COMEBACK
Despite trailing 43-30, with 18:16, Eastern Michigan rallied to win at Detroit Mercy, 72-62. The 13-point second-half comeback marked EMU's largest since overcoming a 17-point second-half deficit to beat Kent State in overtime, Jan. 6, 2024.
LARGEST ROAD WIN SINCE 2022
Eastern's 72-62 win at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 18, marks its largest road win since winning at Florida International by 12 points, 80-68, Nov. 30, 2021.
IU INDY RECAP, NOV. 14
SCORING/RUNS SUMMARY AGAINST IU INDY
» Eastern led, 15-7.
» IU Indy used a 14-4 run to take a 21-19 advantage.
» The Jaguars scored 26 points in the final 5:42 of the first half to lead 49-38 at the intermission.
» IU Indy extended its advantage to 52-38 before the Eagles clawed their way back, tying it at 74-74 with 6:08 left.
» The visitors scored 16 of the final 25 points.
» IU Indy won, 90-83.
NOTEWORTHY PLAYERS AGAINST IU INDY
» Addison Patterson: 23 points (4-4 3PT), four rebounds, three assists, and three steals
» Jon Sanders II: 16 points in first start
» Mo Habhab: 15 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals
» Godslove Nwabude: eight points, six rebounds in 10:40 of court time
KEY TEAM STATS AGAINST IU INDY
» EMU outrebounded IU Indy, 40-36
» EMU was 7-of-25 (28.0%) and IU Indy was 10-of-21 (47.6%) from three-point range
» EMU's bench was outscored by IU Indy's, 31-12
PITTSBURGH RECAP, NOV. 10
SCORING/RUNS SUMMARY AGAINST PITTSBURGH
» Eastern led, 4-0.
» Pittsburgh scored 27 of the next 33 points to lead 27-10.
» Pittsburgh led, 45-32, at halftime.
» Pittsburgh's lead bounced from 9-16 throughout the second half as EMU most notably trimmed the deficit to 10 with 7:12 left en route to outscoring the hosts in the second half, 34-33.
» Pittsburgh won, 78-66.
NOTEWORTHY PLAYERS AGAINST PITTSBURGH
» Carlos Hart: 19 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and one block
» Mo Habhab: 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and one block
» Addison Patterson: 13 points, six rebounds, four assists
» Jon Sanders II: nine points (6-of-6 FT) in 9:56 of court time
KEY TEAM STATS AGAINST PITTSBURGH
» EMU was 22-for-59 (37.3%) from the floor while Pittsburgh went 30-for-60 (50.0%)
» EMU was 18-for-21 (85.7%) from the free throw line while Pittsburgh was 12-for-23 (52.2%)
» EMU had 10 turnovers but forced just eight
ON THE OAKLAND GAME
IF EASTERN WINS...
» EMU will improve 13-9 all-time against Oakland.
» EMU will secure its first home win over Oakland since Dec. 6, 2017.
» EMU will improve to 92-102 over Horizon League schools.
» EMU will improve to 3-2 for the third-straight season.
EASTERN AGAINST THE HORIZON
Eastern holds a 91-102 all-time mark against current Horizon League schools. Outside of the MAC, the Horizon League is the only conference in which EMU has played every single member at least once in program history. With Friday's 194th meeting between Eastern and a Horizon League school, EMU will have played 97 more games against the Horizon League than any other conference outside of the MAC (97 games against Big Ten, 12-85)
Full series history against Oakland can be found on page 3.
ALL-TIME AGAINST THE HORIZON 91-102
Cleveland State 24-10
Detroit Mercy 24-63
Green Bay 5-6
IU Indy 4-2
Milwaukee 7-5
Northern Kentucky 0-1
Oakland 12-9
Purdue-Ft. Wayne 3-2
Robert Morris 4-0
Youngstown State 7-4
Wright State 1-0
EASTERN 3-2 FOR THE THIRD-STRAIGHT YEAR?
With a win against Oakland Friday, Nov. 21, Eastern would improve to 3-2 for the third-straight year.
EMU has not had three-straight seasons starting 3-2 or better since Rob Murphy's 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20 teams all started 4-1 or better.
ALUMNI DAY AGAINST OAKLAND
Eastern Michigan will celebrate Alumni Day against Oakland, Nov. 21, recognizing the 35th anniversary of the 1991 team that made the Sweet Sixteen.
A veteran group of players proved that chemistry is indeed important on a basketball team as the 1990-91 squad put EMU on the national basketball map with an extended run at the NCAA Championship.
Playing with four seniors in the starting lineup, the 1990-91 team advanced all the way to the "Sweet 16" in the NCAA tournament before falling to national power North Carolina.
During that wondrous run into the third round of the NCAA tournament, the Green and White used a combination of power basketball (Marcus Kennedy), high-flying acrobatics (the Thomas twins, Carl and Charles), end-to-end action (Lorenzo Neely and
Kory Hallas) and a bench that was small in numbers but big in heart (Joe Frasor and Roger Lewis) to capture the nation's imagination as a true "Cinderella" team.
Eastern was able to make it to the NCAA tournament after winning its second Mid-American Conference regular-season and post-season titles.
As MAC tournament champion, Eastern was automatically in the NCAA field of 64 and was sent to the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y., for the first round, seeded No. 12. Head Coach Ben Braun's crew came up with two big wins in Syracuse. In the first game, Eastern knocked off No. 5 seed Mississippi State,
76-56, and followed that up with a 71-68 overtime win over No. 13 seed Penn State. Those victories propelled EMU into the "Sweet 16" where the No. 1 seeded Tarheels of UNC won, 93-67.
Expected attendees:
» Harold Simons: 1964-68
» Deron Goheen: 1986-88
» Lorenzo Neeley: 1987-91
» Carl Thomas: 1988-91
» Kory Hallas: 1988-92
» Kahlil Felder: 1990-92
» Von Nickleberry: 1989-94
» Jon Zajac: 1994-98
» Corey Tarrant: 1996-2000
» Solomon Mcgee: 1998-2000
» Michael Ross: 2001-05
» Zane Gay: 2005-09
» Matt Balkema: 2009-13
» Jim Streeter (SID)
» Brian Miller (coach)
» Charles Ramsey (coach)
*1991 team in bold italics
ACTIVE 2025-26 SEASON NOTES
FOUR-STRAIGHT 11-POINT GAMES
Redshirt freshman Mo Habhab produced at least 11 points outputs in each of the season's first four games.
With Habhab's performances, he is the first Eastern freshman to have four-straight games with at least 11 points in each game since Orlando Lovejoy in the 2021-22 season, who had a streak as long as six games with at least 14 points.
THREE DOUBLE-DOUBLES IN FOUR GAMES
Mo Habhab has produced double-doubles against Georgia State (15-16), Nov. 3; IU Indy (15-10), Nov. 14; and Detroit Mercy (11-10), Nov. 18.
He is the first Eagle to record three double-doubles in a four-game span since James Thompson IV in the 2018-19 season, who had a stretch of four-straight games with a double-double in that season.
BACK-TO-BACK 16-POINT GAMES
Jon Sanders II has started the last two games, scoring 16 points against IU Indy, Nov. 14, and 17 points at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 18.
Sanders II has scored 16-plus points in back-to-back games at three different Division I schools but has never done so in three-straight games.
Sanders II opened the 2024-25 season at Northwestern State by scoring 16 points against Dallas Christian and 18 points against Texas Tech after scoring 17 points against Wofford and 17 points against College of Charleston while at Coastal Carolina.
THR33-POINT STR3AK, 651-STRAIGHT GAM3S
After converting seven three-pointers against Detroit Mercy, Nov. 21, Eastern has hit at least one three-pointer in 651-straight games. EMU last failed to score from downtown Jan. 24, 2004, when Miami held the Eagles to 0-of-7 from behind the arc.
LIMITED THREE-POINT ATTEMPTS
Eastern Michigan has just 69 three-point attempts through its first four games.
The 69 three-point attempts in four games is EMU's fewest in its first four games of the season since the 2015-16 team also had 69 three-point attempts through its first three games.
EASTERN IN THE MAC-SBC CHALLENGE
Eastern is 3-2 in the MAC-SBC Challenge and 3-0 at home. The Eagles will play a road game, Feb. 7, against a to-be-determined opponent in the second leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge.
Eastern's MAC-SBC Challenge Results:
Date Against Score
Nov. 3, 2025 Georgia State W, 71-49
Feb. 8, 2025 Old Dominion W, 76-70
Nov. 4, 2024 at Texas State L, 44-64
Feb. 10, 2024 at Louisiana-Monroe L, 76-82
Nov. 11, 2023 Georgia Southern W, 70-60
PREVIOUSLY IN THE 2025-26 SEASON NOTES
MO HABHAB'S PERFORMANCE AGAINST GSU
Mo Habhab, just a redshirt freshman, produced an impressive 15 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in the 71-49 win over Georgia State, Nov. 3.
Habhab is the first player in the MAC to record that stat line or better since Nov. 22, 2003, when Northern Illinois' Marcus Smallwood had 17 points, 21 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks.
There was a total of eight performances in Division I with a player tallying at least 15 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in the 2024-25 season, none of which were by freshmen. Through games, Nov. 11, 2025, Habhab is the only player in Division I to achieve that line this season.
Habhab is the first freshman in the nation to record at least 15 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks since former Gonzaga Bulldog and recent NBA champion Chet Holmgren had 20 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, and five blocks, Feb. 5, 2022, against BYU.
Habhab is the first Eagle to have 15+ and 15+ rebounds in one game since James Thompson IV had 20 points and 23 rebounds, March 5, 2019, against Ball State.
Habhab is the first Eagle to record 16 rebounds in one game since Boubacar Toure had 17 against Akron, Jan. 4, 2020. In regard to Habhab's eight offensive rebounds against Georgia State, Toure is also the last Eagle with at least eight offensive rebounds in one game, grabbing nine against Michigan-Dearborn, Nov. 14, 2019. James Thompson IV's 11 offensive rebounds against Ball State, Jan. 8, 2019, marks the last time an Eagle had at least eight against a Division I foe.
PRE-2025-26 SEASON NOTES
WHAT IS EASTERN RETURNING FROM LAST YEAR?
Eastern returned four players from its 2024-25 roster. The Eagles returned 7.8% of minutes played (502) and 2.9% of points scored (69).
» John Shanu II: 287 minutes, 38 points
» Godslove Nwabude: 207 minutes, 29 points
» Cooper Smith: 7 minutes, 2 points
» Mbaye N'Diaye: 1 minute, 0 points
TOUGH ROAD CONTESTS ON THE HORIZON
Eastern will have a quartet of high-profile road games in the 2025-26 season:
» Nov. 10 at Pittsburgh; L, 66-78
» Nov. 24 at #12 Louisville
» Nov. 26 at Cincinnati
» Dec. 2 at Butler
Eastern has not played four Power Conference foes in one season since the 2018-19 season when the Eagles took on Duke, Rutgers, TCU, and Kansas, all on the road.
EMU began the 2023-24 season by playing at Butler.
DePAUL DUO --> NORTHWESTERN STATE DUO
Out with one transfer duo and in with another. After DePaul transfers Da'Sean Nelson and Jalen Terry teamed up to both earn Second-Team All-MAC honors in the 2024-25 season, Eastern acquired another transfer duo in the offseason as Northwestern State transfers Addison Patterson and Jon Sanders II decided to become Eagles.
MAC --> EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern added a trio of players who were at MAC schools at one point in their careers:
» Mo Habhab: Central Michigan in 2024-25
» Braelon Green: Bowling Green in 2024-25
» Aidan Rubio: Central Michigan in 2023-24
NCAA ELIGIBILITY: PATTERSON AND SMITH
Both Addison Patterson and Cooper Smith had waivers approved by the NCAA to be eligible for the 2025-26 season. EMU compliance officers Alex Hensley and Kayla Gribble played a key role in getting both student-athletes eligible with Patterson's ruling coming exactly one month prior to the first game.
PRESEASON PICKED NINTH
After finishing tied for sixth in 2024-25, EMU was picked ninth in the MAC preseason coaches' poll.
2025-26 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First Place Votes)
1. Akron (11) – 143
2. Miami (2) – 133
3. Kent State – 122
4. Ohio – 108
5. UMass – 98
6. Toledo – 95
7. Bowling Green – 73
8. Ball State – 62
9. Eastern Michigan – 52
10. Western Michigan – 46
11. Buffalo – 37
12. Central Michigan – 31
13. Northern Illinois – 14
Tournament Champion: Akron (8), Miami (2), Kent State (1), Ohio (1) UMass (1)
The six Ohio schools made up six of the top seven with UMass taking fifth, while the bottom six is filled with the rest of the MAC schools.
STAYING HOME
Eastern Michigan has nine players from the state of Michigan, its most since the 2022-23 season (11).
EASTERN MICHIGAN IS HOME
Eastern's 14 players have combined to play for 28 different schools prior to coming to Eastern Michigan. In total, three Eagles (Gregory Lawson II, Godslove Nwabude, and Mbaye N'Diaye) began their collegiate careers at EMU.
ANY STAFF CHANGES?
Eastern's staff saw minor changes in the offseason:
» Carlos McMath: promoted to Director of Operations/Assistant Coach from Director of Operations
» Pritish Kokate: promoted to Head Student Manager from Student Manager
» Alex Kling: hired as Graduate Manager
» Shawn McCall: hired as Graduate Manager
COOPER SMITH: 8TH-OLDEST PLAYER
Cooper Smith is the eighth-oldest player in Division I, and one of 13 known players born in the 20th century:
1. Ramel Bethea, Green Bay - July 27, 1996
2. Corey Sands, Chicago State - Jan. 5, 1999
3. Nginyu Ngala, Kansas - April 3, 1999
4. Curt Lewis, Southern Miss - May 19, 1999
5. Olajuwon Ibrahim, FIU - May 26, 1999
6. Antwaan Jones, UNCG - May 29, 1999
7. Blaise Keita, Western Kentucky - June 29, 1999
8. Cooper Smith, Eastern Michigan - July 12, 1999
9. Devin Haid, South Florida - Aug. 22, 1999
10. Hunter Erickson, Hawaii - Sept. 14, 1999
11. Dawson Baker, BYU - Oct. 29, 1999
12. Bouna Kebe, Delaware - Dec. 24, 1999
13. Jordan Brinson, CSUN - Dec. 31, 1999
UP NEXT
Eastern travels to No. 6 Louisville Monday, Nov. 24, at 7 p.m. inside the KFC Yum! Center.
FOLLOW US
For the most up-to-date information on the Eagles, visit EMUEagles.com. Fans can also follow the team on social media, including Twitter (@EMU_MBB) and Instagram (@EMUMBB).
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/ Men's Basketball2025-26 Field of 68 Men's Basketball Preview: Eastern Michigan Eagles
Tuesday, October 21
Men's Basketball Alumni Game All Call
Tuesday, October 21
2025 E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony
Saturday, October 11
E-Club Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Cinematic Recap
Saturday, October 11