Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, November 21
Ypsilanti, Mich.
6:30 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
3-2,0-0MAC
97
vs
91
Oakland
1-5,0-0Horizon
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 41 | 50 | 91 |
| Eastern Mich. | 46 | 51 | 97 |
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Habhab's Stellar Performance Guides Eastern Past Oakland, 97-91
11/21/2025 9:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Redshirt freshman netted 24 points with 11 rebounds and 10 assists
Photo Gallery | Postgame Interview | Habhab Highlights
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – A showing from Mohammad Habhab and a 22-point performance from Carlos Hart helped the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team beat Oakland University Golden Grizzlies, 97-91, Friday, Nov. 21, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center in a game that featured 13 ties and 15 lead changes.
The redshirt freshman Habhab (Dearborn, Mich./Dearborn/Central Michigan) produced a stellar showing with a 24-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist, one-block, one-steal, and zero-turnover performance. This was the first known triple-double in program history and his fourth double-double of the season and a career high in both points and assists.
Carlos Hart (Miami, Fla./North Miami/Valdosta State) added seven rebounds and five assists alongside his season-high 22-point performance while Mehki Ellison (Flint, Mich./Carman Ainsworth/Stetson) posted a season-high 13 points, and dished out four assists.
Mak Manciel (Detroit, Mich./Stevenson/Henry Ford CC/Arkansas State/Detroit Mercy) led the team with three makes from behind the arc, tied for the most for an Eagle this season.
Merritt Alderink (Zeeland, Mich./Zeeland West/Indiana State) added five points, a season-high five rebounds, and a career-high two steals.
How It Happened
Hart got Eastern started with a pair of threes and a layup assisted by Habhab, resulting in an 8-8 tie at the 15:29 mark.
The game remained close, with scoring most notably coming from Habhab and the leading scorer thus far in the season, Addison Patterson (Mississauga, Ontario/Bella Vista/Northwestern State), each contributing five points to help keep the game tied 20-20 with 10 minutes to go in the first half.
Eight points from junior Aidan Rubio (Flint, Mich./Goodrich/UNC-Asheville) and six points from Manciel, which consisted of a pair of makes from behind the arc for both players, helped the Eagles take a 42-39 lead at the 2:36 mark. Eastern held onto that lead through the rest of the half, leading 46-41 at the halfway point in the contest.
The Eagles shot 66.7% from the floor in the first half, including knocking down eight three-pointers on 57.1% from behind the arc.
By the 15:02 mark in the second half, the game remained closely contested, highlighted by a 3-for-3 start from Hart to begin the half, leaving the score at 56-56.
The Eagles broke away on a 9-2 run starting at the 10:56 mark, highlighted by four turnovers forced, a third three-point make of the game for Manciel, and another four points from Habhab to establish a 75-67 lead.
By the five-minute mark, Ellison added nine points on 3-of-4 shooting in the second half to help Eastern hold onto a 79-74 lead.
The Green and White stayed firmly in the driver's seat for the remainder of the game, winning the game, 97-91.
Game Notes
» Eastern improves to 3-2 overall while Oakland moves to 1-5 overall.
» Eastern was 37-of-59 (62.7%) from the field and 10-of-22 (45.5%) from the three-point line, while Oakland was 34-of-67 (50.7%) from the floor and 9-of-22 (40.9%) from three-point range.
» Eastern's eight first-half threes are the most it has connected on in one half this season.
» Mohammad Habhab recorded his fourth double-double of the season, and set career highs in both points and assists with 24 and 10, respectively. Habhab is the first Eastern freshman with four double-doubles in one season since James Thompson IV had 19 during the 2015-16 season. His four double-doubles are tied for the second-highest mark in the nation and he is one of three freshmen to have four double-doubles this season.
» Mohammad Habhab's 24 points without a turnover is the most by an Eagle since Yeikson Montero's 25-point, turnover-free performance, Dec. 27, 2020.
» Mohammad Habhab's 10 assists are the most by an Eagle since Christian Henry had nine against Northern Illinois, Jan. 4, 2025.
» Carlos Hart posted a season high 22 points on 70% field goal percentage.
» Aidan Rubio scored eight first-half points, his highest scoring total this season.
.
Historical Notes
» Eastern leads in the all-time series, 13-9, and secured its second straight win against Oakland.
» The 97 Eagle points are Eastern's most since scoring 97 against Buffalo, Feb. 7, 2023.
» EMU's 24 assists tied its third-highest total all time and the most since its 108-64 win against Marygrove, Nov. 25, 2015.
» Eastern Michigan's 62.7% field goal percentage ranks fifth all-time in program history, its best since Nov. 21, 2022, against Detroit Mercy.
» Eastern has improved to 3-2 record for the third straight season. The Eagles have not started 3-2 or better in three-straight seasons since the 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20 seasons.
Up Next
» Eastern travels to face the No. 6-ranked University of Louisville Cardinals 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).
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – A showing from Mohammad Habhab and a 22-point performance from Carlos Hart helped the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team beat Oakland University Golden Grizzlies, 97-91, Friday, Nov. 21, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center in a game that featured 13 ties and 15 lead changes.
The redshirt freshman Habhab (Dearborn, Mich./Dearborn/Central Michigan) produced a stellar showing with a 24-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist, one-block, one-steal, and zero-turnover performance. This was the first known triple-double in program history and his fourth double-double of the season and a career high in both points and assists.
Carlos Hart (Miami, Fla./North Miami/Valdosta State) added seven rebounds and five assists alongside his season-high 22-point performance while Mehki Ellison (Flint, Mich./Carman Ainsworth/Stetson) posted a season-high 13 points, and dished out four assists.
Mak Manciel (Detroit, Mich./Stevenson/Henry Ford CC/Arkansas State/Detroit Mercy) led the team with three makes from behind the arc, tied for the most for an Eagle this season.
Merritt Alderink (Zeeland, Mich./Zeeland West/Indiana State) added five points, a season-high five rebounds, and a career-high two steals.
How It Happened
Hart got Eastern started with a pair of threes and a layup assisted by Habhab, resulting in an 8-8 tie at the 15:29 mark.
The game remained close, with scoring most notably coming from Habhab and the leading scorer thus far in the season, Addison Patterson (Mississauga, Ontario/Bella Vista/Northwestern State), each contributing five points to help keep the game tied 20-20 with 10 minutes to go in the first half.
Eight points from junior Aidan Rubio (Flint, Mich./Goodrich/UNC-Asheville) and six points from Manciel, which consisted of a pair of makes from behind the arc for both players, helped the Eagles take a 42-39 lead at the 2:36 mark. Eastern held onto that lead through the rest of the half, leading 46-41 at the halfway point in the contest.
The Eagles shot 66.7% from the floor in the first half, including knocking down eight three-pointers on 57.1% from behind the arc.
By the 15:02 mark in the second half, the game remained closely contested, highlighted by a 3-for-3 start from Hart to begin the half, leaving the score at 56-56.
The Eagles broke away on a 9-2 run starting at the 10:56 mark, highlighted by four turnovers forced, a third three-point make of the game for Manciel, and another four points from Habhab to establish a 75-67 lead.
By the five-minute mark, Ellison added nine points on 3-of-4 shooting in the second half to help Eastern hold onto a 79-74 lead.
The Green and White stayed firmly in the driver's seat for the remainder of the game, winning the game, 97-91.
Game Notes
» Eastern improves to 3-2 overall while Oakland moves to 1-5 overall.
» Eastern was 37-of-59 (62.7%) from the field and 10-of-22 (45.5%) from the three-point line, while Oakland was 34-of-67 (50.7%) from the floor and 9-of-22 (40.9%) from three-point range.
» Eastern's eight first-half threes are the most it has connected on in one half this season.
» Mohammad Habhab recorded his fourth double-double of the season, and set career highs in both points and assists with 24 and 10, respectively. Habhab is the first Eastern freshman with four double-doubles in one season since James Thompson IV had 19 during the 2015-16 season. His four double-doubles are tied for the second-highest mark in the nation and he is one of three freshmen to have four double-doubles this season.
» Mohammad Habhab's 24 points without a turnover is the most by an Eagle since Yeikson Montero's 25-point, turnover-free performance, Dec. 27, 2020.
» Mohammad Habhab's 10 assists are the most by an Eagle since Christian Henry had nine against Northern Illinois, Jan. 4, 2025.
» Carlos Hart posted a season high 22 points on 70% field goal percentage.
» Aidan Rubio scored eight first-half points, his highest scoring total this season.
.
Historical Notes
» Eastern leads in the all-time series, 13-9, and secured its second straight win against Oakland.
» The 97 Eagle points are Eastern's most since scoring 97 against Buffalo, Feb. 7, 2023.
» EMU's 24 assists tied its third-highest total all time and the most since its 108-64 win against Marygrove, Nov. 25, 2015.
» Eastern Michigan's 62.7% field goal percentage ranks fifth all-time in program history, its best since Nov. 21, 2022, against Detroit Mercy.
» Eastern has improved to 3-2 record for the third straight season. The Eagles have not started 3-2 or better in three-straight seasons since the 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20 seasons.
Up Next
» Eastern travels to face the No. 6-ranked University of Louisville Cardinals 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).
Team Stats
Oak
EMU
FG%
.507
.627
3FG%
.409
.455
FT%
.700
.867
RB
29
31
TO
8
12
STL
7
4
Game Leaders
Pts
24
FGM
10
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
22
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
6
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G/F
/ Men's Basketball2025-26 EMU Athletics In-Review
Tuesday, April 21
Billy Donlon Introductory Press Conference
Thursday, March 26
Bringing the Energy! Thank You to the Crowd vs. No. 21 Miami
Wednesday, February 25
Addison Patterson Dunk vs. Akron
Wednesday, February 04