Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
5-3,0-0MAC
NJIT
3-6,0-0America East
Nwabude, Habhab Power Eastern to 73-55 win over NJIT
11/28/2025 5:54:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Nwabude recorded first career double-double as EMU outscored NJIT by 18 in second half
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Godslove Nwabude and Mohammad Habhab produced standout performances as the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team topped the New Jersey Institute of Technology, 73-55, Friday, Nov. 28, at the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
Eastern, which was coming off the program's first Power-Conference win since 2014 with the win over Cincinnati, Nov. 26, outscored the visitors by 18 in the second half as Nwabude (Anambra State, Nigeria/Mt. Zion Prep (Md.)) tallied career highs in points (12), rebounds (14), blocks (4), steals (4), and minutes (28).
Habhab (Dearborn, Mich./Dearborn/Central Michigan) scored 15 second-half points en route to scoring 22 points for the game to go with four rebounds.
Jon Sanders II (Detroit, Mich./Southfield Christian/Northwestern State) scored 14 points while Addison Patterson (Mississauga, Ontario/Bella Vista/Northwestern State) added seven points, a season-high six assists, and a career-high four steals.
How It Happened
The teams traded buckets in the early going, before NJIT took an 18-12 lead at the 10:58 mark, its largest advantage of the contest.
The Highlanders led for the remainder of the half but the Eagles used a 6-0 run to close the period, capped by a Nwabude buzzer-beating tip-in to even the score at 31-31 at the intermission.
A three-pointer with 18:01 generated NJIT's last lead of the contest as EMU used an 8-0 spurt to take control of the contest and lead 44-37 at the 14:58 mark.
The visitors stayed within striking distance as the EMU lead bounced from 4-10 points for the next eight minutes of game time before Eastern used an 11-0 run to put the game out of reach.
The Green and White outscored NJIT 17-3 in the last 7:11 of the game, growing its lead to as many as 22 points prior to the Highlanders hitting a triple with three seconds left for a 73-55 final score.
Game Notes
» Eastern jumps to 5-3 overall while NJIT moves to 3-6 overall.
» Eastern was 29-of-58 (50.0%) from the field and 7-of-18 (38.9%) from the three-point line, while NJIT was 19-of-52 (36.5%) from the floor and 8-of-23 (34.8%) from three-point range.
» Godslove Nwabude's 12 points and 14 rebounds, both career highs, represent Eastern's sixth double-double of the season as Mohammad Habhab has five. The double-double is Nwabude's first of his career.
» With Godslove Nwabude's 12 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks, and four steals, Nwabude is the only player in the nation to produce that stat line or better this season. In fact, only one player matched Nwabude's numbers during the 2024-25 season as then-UAB Blazer Yaxel Lendeborg had 30 points, 20 rebounds, eight assists, four blocks, and five steals against Charlotte, March 14, 2025. Nwabude is the first MAC block with his numbers since Enrique Freeman, Dec. 7, 2023.
» Both Godslove Nwabude and Addison Patterson recorded career highs in steals (4). The last Eagle duo to each have at least four steals in the same against came Dec. 27, 2020, as Yeikson Montero and Bryce McBride accomplished the feat against Olivet. Montero was also a part of the last EMU duo to do so against a Division I foe as Montero and Ty Groce both had at least four steals twice against Ohio in 2020 (Jan. 7 and Jan. 18).
» Mohammad Habhab's 22 points mark his second career game with at least 20 points as he scored 24 against Oakland, Nov. 21.
» Aidan Rubio (Flint, Mich./Goodrich/UNC-Asheville) scored eight points, helped by a pair of second-half three-pointers 30 seconds apart.
» Eastern blocked seven shots in total, its most since blocking eight against Kent State, Feb. 4, 2025.
» The Eagles' 13 steals are the most since tallying 13 at Loyola Chicago, Dec. 3, 2024.
» EMU held a narrow 33-32 advantage on the glass, improving to 5-1 when outrebounding its opponent this season.
Historical Notes
» Eastern holds a 1-0 lead over NJIT all-time. The game marked the first time EMU has hosted a school from the state of New Jersey.
» EMU, which held Cincinnati to 56 points, Nov. 26, produced consecutive outings allowing 56 points or fewer for the first time since conceding 56 to Kent State, Jan. 18, 2022, and 46 in its next game to Akron, Jan. 22, 2022.
Up Next
» Eastern travels to Butler for a game Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. inside the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. The game is on truTV.
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).
