Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
4-3,0-0MAC
Cincinnati
5-2,0-0Big 12
Eastern Stuns Cincinnati, 64-56
11/26/2025 9:20:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EMU earned first Power Conference win since 2014
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CINCINNATI, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team topped the University of Cincinnati, 64-56, Wednesday, Nov. 26, at Fifth Third Arena, marking EMU's first win over a Power Conference foe since beating the University of Michigan in 2014.
Eastern controlled the entire game, never trailing, and built a lead as large as 17 in the first half.
Carlos Hart (Miami, Fla./North Miami/Valdosta State) led the Eagles with 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
Mohammad Habhab (Dearborn, Mich./Dearborn/Central Michigan) added 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, a career-high four steals, and one blocked shot.
How It Happened
Eastern scored the game's first eight points before Cincinnati battled back, cutting the deficit to one at 10-9.
Helped by a trio of three-pointers, two of which came from Mak Manciel (Detroit, Mich./Stevenson/Detroit Mercy), the Eagles launched a 17-1 run, holding the Bearcats without a made field goal for 10:01 of game time.
EMU conceded the next nine points, but a 7-1 spurt to close the half provided the Green and White with a 36-23 halftime advantage.
Eastern's lead expanded to 14 on a Hart free throw with 9:11 left, but the Bearcats would not go down quietly, using a 15-2 run to cut the EMU lead to 48-47 with 5:03 to go.
Despite the flip in momentum, Eastern stayed strong, scoring the game's next seven points, including a dagger three by Hart at the 3:01 mark.
The Eagles held the Bearcats to just one made field goal in the final 5:02, as Eastern put in seven free throws in the final 1:14 to secure the victory.
Game Notes
» Eastern jumps to 4-3 overall while Cincinnati moves to 5-2 overall.
» Eastern was 19-of-44 (43.2%) from the field and 7-of-21 (33.3%) from the three-point line, while Cincinnati was 19-of-56 (33.9%) from the floor and 7-of-29 (24.1%) from three-point range.
» The Eagles were 19-of-22 (86.4%) from the free throw line, its top mark (min. 20 attempts) since going 21-for-22 (95.5%) against Buffalo, Jan. 25, 2025.
» EMU controlled the glass, 36-29, led by nine rebounds from Addison Patterson (Mississauga, Ontario/Bella Vista/Northwestern State).
» In addition to his 15 points, Carlos Hart grabbed five rebounds, including one of the offensive variety. Hart has at least one offensive rebound in every game this season.
» Godslove Nwabude (Anambra State, Nigeria/Mt. Zion Prep (Md.)) recorded eight rebounds, one short of his career high. Nwabude also matched his career high with two blocks.
» Mohammad Habhab scored 13 points, becoming the first EMU freshman with seven-straight games with at least 11 points since James Thompson IV had a streak of eight games in the 2015-16 season.
» Mohammad Habhab equaled his career high with four steals, matching his mark of set at Louisville, Nov. 26.
» Four different Eagles had three assists.
Historical Notes
» Eastern and Cincinnati are tied at 1-1 all-time.
» The Eagles won against a current Power Conference (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC) foe for the first time since Dec. 9, 2014, at Michigan (W, 45-42).
» EMU improved to 20-129 all-time against current Power Conference schools.
» EMU moved to 4-7 all-time against current Big 12 schools.
» The Green and White won against a current Big 12 school for the first time since Dec. 27, 1995, vs. Baylor (W, 71-69).
» The 56 points allowed is Eastern's fewest against a Power Conference opponent since the 45-42 win at Michigan, Dec. 9, 2014.
» The eight-point win is Eastern's largest against a Power Conference opponent since beating Texas Tech, 93-77, Dec. 27, 1995, at the Sierra Medical Center Sun Carnival in El Paso, Texas.
» The last MAC team to beat Cincinnati was Bowling Green, which won 91-84 in overtime at the Stroh Center, Nov. 24, 2019. The previous MAC victory in Cincinnati came even earlier, when Bowling Green defeated the Bearcats, 69-67, Nov. 11, 2007, more than 18 years ago.
» Eastern Michigan held Cincinnati to under 60 points, a feat few MAC teams have achieved. The last MAC team to do so was Miami, which lost 59-58 in Oxford, Dec. 1, 2021. However, the last time UC was held under 60 by a MAC foe and lost was Dec. 17, 1983, when Miami captured a 55-50 triumph at U.S. Bank Arena (formerly Riverfront Coliseum).
» Cincinnati was a charter member of the MAC from 1947 to 1952, and since leaving the league, current MAC programs have struggled at UC's home court. The Bearcats hold dominant home records against most MAC teams: Akron 7-4, Ball State 4-0, Bowling Green 5-1, Buffalo 1-0, Central Michigan 1-0, Kent State 4-0, Miami 63-18, Northern Illinois 3-0, Ohio 27-13, Toledo 5-4, and Western Michigan 9-0. EMU's victory now ties its record with Cincinnati at 1-1 and highlights the rarity of road wins for MAC teams.
Up Next
» Eastern hosts the New Jersey Institute of Technology Friday, Nov. 28, at 4 p.m. inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. Tickets are available here.
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