Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, January 17
Bowling Green, Ohio
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
9-10,3-4MAC
79
at
85
Bowling Green
12-6,3-3MAC
1
2
F
Eastern Mich.
36
43
79
Bowling Green
46
39
85
Eastern Erases 21-Point Second-Half Deficit to Lead at BGSU, Falls Late
1/17/2026 4:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Eastern trailed 56-35 with 17:20 before leading by as many as five points
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – Despite trailing by 21 points with 17:20 left, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team made a remarkable comeback to lead by as many as five points at Bowling Green State University before ultimately falling, 85-79, in Mid-American Conference action Saturday, Jan. 17, inside the Stroh Center.
Eastern trailed, 56-35, with 17:20 remaining, but it rallied to tie the game with 9:56 to go, then led by as many as five points with 6:09 left.
Braelon Green (Southfield, Mich./Southfield/Bowling Green) scored a career-high 22 points against his former school, while Mehki Ellison (Flint, Mich./Carman Ainsworth/Stetson) netted 22 points off the bench, which serves as his top mark as an Eagle and is just three points short of his top career mark.
How It Happened
BGSU started hot, building a quick 7-2 lead, which turned into a 21-14 lead, before reaching as many as 15 in the first half at 35-20 with 5:56 left in the opening 20 minutes.
Eastern rallied to cut the deficit to eight points before settling for a 46-36 halftime deficit as the hosts were 6-for-7 (85.7%) from three-point range in the first half.
An 11-0 Falcon burst to start the second half gave BGSU a 21-point advantage at 56-35 with 17:20 remaining, its largest lead of the game.
EMU responded by scoring the following 11 points as the Eagles matched the Falcons at 65-65 with 9:56 after Green hit a triple from the top of the key.
The Eagles took their first lead of the game when Gregory Lawson II (Saginaw, Mich./Oak Cliff Academy) drilled a three with 7:55 to go. Eastern's lead expanded to 72-67 on a Green jump shot at the 7:01 mark, its largest advantage of the contest.
EMU held the lead for more than five minutes before BGSU took a 79-78 advantage at the 1:21 mark.
Ellison split a pair of free throws with 56 seconds left to tie the game, but the Falcons scored the game's final six points to win, 85-79.
Game Notes
» Eastern moves to 9-10 overall and 3-4 in the MAC while Bowling Green improves to 11-6 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
» Eastern was 30-of-59 (50.8%) from the field and 7-of-20 (35.0%) from the three-point line, while BGSU was 30-of-57 (52.6%) from the floor and 9-of-13 (69.2%) from three-point range.
» EMU's bench outscored BGSU's, 30-15. Eastern's 30 bench points are its third-highest bench output of the season seven short of the 37 EMU bench points against Oakland, Nov. 21.
» Braelon Green's 22 points are the top mark of his career, six points more than the 16 he scored against Ohio, Jan. 3.
» Braelon Green's nine made field goals are also a career high, while his two made three-pointers represent the third time in his career he has made multiple three-pointers in one game.
» Mehki Ellison's 22 points are eight more than his previous season high of 13 scored against Oakland, Nov. 21. Ellison was three points short of his career-high 25-point showing against West Georgia, Jan. 4, 2025, while playing for Stetson.
» Before his 22-point effort, Mehki Ellison had scored nine points or more just once this season, his 13-point showing against Oakland, Nov. 21. Ellison had scored 23 total points in the last eight games prior to Saturday.
» Mehki Ellison's four assists matched his season high set against Oakland, Nov. 21.
» Mohammad Habhab scored 15 points, his team-high 14th game with at least 10 points.
» With Mohammad Habhab's 15 points and 12 rebounds, he recorded his seventh double-double of the season.
» Mohammad Habhab's two blocks represent his fifth game with multiple blocks this season.
» Addison Patterson scored 10 points, his seventh-straight game with at least 10 points. Patterson has 14 games with at least 10 points this season, with 10 of those coming in the last 11 games.
» Aidan Rubio (Flint, Mich./Goodrich/UNC-Asheville) recorded his first start of the season.
Historical Notes
» Bowling Green leads the all-time series, 59-45.
Up Next
» Eastern hosts Kent State University for a Saturday game, Jan. 24, at 3:30 p.m. The game will be on ESPN+ and held in Ypsilanti, Mich., at the George Gervin GameAbove Center. EMU's game follows the Eastern women's game against Northern Illinois University, slated for a 1 p.m. start.
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).
Eastern trailed, 56-35, with 17:20 remaining, but it rallied to tie the game with 9:56 to go, then led by as many as five points with 6:09 left.
Braelon Green (Southfield, Mich./Southfield/Bowling Green) scored a career-high 22 points against his former school, while Mehki Ellison (Flint, Mich./Carman Ainsworth/Stetson) netted 22 points off the bench, which serves as his top mark as an Eagle and is just three points short of his top career mark.
How It Happened
BGSU started hot, building a quick 7-2 lead, which turned into a 21-14 lead, before reaching as many as 15 in the first half at 35-20 with 5:56 left in the opening 20 minutes.
Eastern rallied to cut the deficit to eight points before settling for a 46-36 halftime deficit as the hosts were 6-for-7 (85.7%) from three-point range in the first half.
An 11-0 Falcon burst to start the second half gave BGSU a 21-point advantage at 56-35 with 17:20 remaining, its largest lead of the game.
EMU responded by scoring the following 11 points as the Eagles matched the Falcons at 65-65 with 9:56 after Green hit a triple from the top of the key.
The Eagles took their first lead of the game when Gregory Lawson II (Saginaw, Mich./Oak Cliff Academy) drilled a three with 7:55 to go. Eastern's lead expanded to 72-67 on a Green jump shot at the 7:01 mark, its largest advantage of the contest.
EMU held the lead for more than five minutes before BGSU took a 79-78 advantage at the 1:21 mark.
Ellison split a pair of free throws with 56 seconds left to tie the game, but the Falcons scored the game's final six points to win, 85-79.
Game Notes
» Eastern moves to 9-10 overall and 3-4 in the MAC while Bowling Green improves to 11-6 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
» Eastern was 30-of-59 (50.8%) from the field and 7-of-20 (35.0%) from the three-point line, while BGSU was 30-of-57 (52.6%) from the floor and 9-of-13 (69.2%) from three-point range.
» EMU's bench outscored BGSU's, 30-15. Eastern's 30 bench points are its third-highest bench output of the season seven short of the 37 EMU bench points against Oakland, Nov. 21.
» Braelon Green's 22 points are the top mark of his career, six points more than the 16 he scored against Ohio, Jan. 3.
» Braelon Green's nine made field goals are also a career high, while his two made three-pointers represent the third time in his career he has made multiple three-pointers in one game.
» Mehki Ellison's 22 points are eight more than his previous season high of 13 scored against Oakland, Nov. 21. Ellison was three points short of his career-high 25-point showing against West Georgia, Jan. 4, 2025, while playing for Stetson.
» Before his 22-point effort, Mehki Ellison had scored nine points or more just once this season, his 13-point showing against Oakland, Nov. 21. Ellison had scored 23 total points in the last eight games prior to Saturday.
» Mehki Ellison's four assists matched his season high set against Oakland, Nov. 21.
» Mohammad Habhab scored 15 points, his team-high 14th game with at least 10 points.
» With Mohammad Habhab's 15 points and 12 rebounds, he recorded his seventh double-double of the season.
» Mohammad Habhab's two blocks represent his fifth game with multiple blocks this season.
» Addison Patterson scored 10 points, his seventh-straight game with at least 10 points. Patterson has 14 games with at least 10 points this season, with 10 of those coming in the last 11 games.
» Aidan Rubio (Flint, Mich./Goodrich/UNC-Asheville) recorded his first start of the season.
Historical Notes
» Bowling Green leads the all-time series, 59-45.
Up Next
» Eastern hosts Kent State University for a Saturday game, Jan. 24, at 3:30 p.m. The game will be on ESPN+ and held in Ypsilanti, Mich., at the George Gervin GameAbove Center. EMU's game follows the Eastern women's game against Northern Illinois University, slated for a 1 p.m. start.
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
EMU
BGSU
FG%
.508
.526
3FG%
.350
.692
FT%
.857
.762
RB
29
30
TO
9
10
STL
7
6
Game Leaders
Pts
22
FGM
8
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
22
FGM
9
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
5
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's BasketballG
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G/F
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