Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Coastal Carolina
10/31/2026 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MAC-SBC Challenge meeting marks second-ever contest between two programs, Billy Donlon's first game as EMU head coach
| Men's Basketball at Coastal Carolina | |
| Dates/Time | Monday, Nov. 2, 2026 | 7 p.m. |
| Venue | HTC Center (3,600) | Conway, S.C. |
| 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 |
CONWAY, S.C. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team opens the 2026-27 regular season against Coastal Carolina University Monday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. inside the HTC Center in Conway, S.C. The game serves as the first leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge, a cross-conference series between the Mid-American Conference and the Sun Belt Conference, and marks the regular-season debut of head coach Billy Donlon.
ON AIR
Monday's game at Coastal Carolina University will stream live on ESPN+. Live statistics will be available at emueagles.com/sidearmstats/mbball.
OPENING TIPS
» Eastern Michigan opened the 2026-27 preseason with a 62-87 exhibition loss at Michigan on Oct. 11. Mohammad Habhab led the Eagles with 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting, while Emanuel Richards added 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Kaden Johnson contributed nine points and six rebounds.
» Braelon Green matched his EMU Men's Basketball 2026-27 career-high with four assists in the Michigan exhibition. Habhab and Richards each scored 11 points as Eastern outscored the Wolverines 44-32 in the paint, though the Eagles shot just 2-of-11 (18.2%) from three-point range and committed 21 turnovers.
» Mohammad Habhab was named to the Preseason All-Mid-American Conference First Team heading into the 2026-27 season.
» Eastern Michigan was picked to finish ninth in the MAC preseason poll for 2026-27.
» Monday's game is the first leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge for Eastern. The second leg is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 6, 2027, when Eastern will host a Sun Belt Conference opponent at Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti, Mich.
» Eastern enters the 2026-27 season with 12 newcomers on the roster, including 11 transfers. Gregory Lawson II is the lone returning player from the previous season's roster.
» The Eagles are 1-1 all-time in the MAC-SBC Challenge, with a win over Georgia Southern (70-60, Nov. 11, 2023) and a loss to Texas State (44-64, Nov. 4, 2024).
» Monday marks the regular-season debut of head coach Billy Donlon, who enters his first season at Eastern Michigan. Donlon compiled a 155-133 record (.538) as a head coach over nine seasons at Wright State and Kansas City.
ON THE COASTAL CAROLINA GAME
IF EASTERN WINS...
» Eastern would improve to 2-0 all-time against Coastal Carolina University.
» Eastern would earn its first regular-season win of the 2026-27 season.
» Eastern would improve to 2-1 all-time in the MAC-SBC Challenge.
SERIES HISTORY VS. COASTAL CAROLINA
Eastern Michigan leads the all-time series against Coastal Carolina University 1-0. Monday's game is the second meeting between the two programs. The lone prior meeting was played at a neutral site; Eastern has never faced Coastal Carolina at home or on the road.
LAST MEETING VS. COASTAL CAROLINA
Eastern Michigan defeated Coastal Carolina University, 76-58, Nov. 29, 1991, at a neutral site in Anchorage, Alaska. That game remains the only prior meeting between the two programs.
LAST WIN VS. COASTAL CAROLINA
Eastern Michigan's only win in the series came Nov. 29, 1991, a 76-58 decision at a neutral site in Anchorage, Alaska.
EASTERN AGAINST THE SUN BELT
Eastern Michigan holds an 11-18 all-time record against current members of the Sun Belt Conference.
ALL-TIME AGAINST THE CURRENT SUN BELT SCHOOLS (11-18)
» Appalachian State: 0-1
» Arkansas State: 1-1
» Coastal Carolina: 1-0
» Georgia Southern: 1-0
» Georgia State: 1-2
» James Madison: 1-1
» Louisiana: 0-0
» Louisiana-Monroe: 0-0
» Marshall: 4-12
» Old Dominion: 2-0
» South Alabama: 0-0
» Southern Miss: 0-0
» Texas State: 0-1
» Troy: 0-0
MICHIGAN RECAP, OCT. 11
SCORING/RUNS SUMMARY AGAINST MICHIGAN
» Eastern Michigan trailed Michigan wire-to-wire in the Oct. 11 exhibition, with no ties or lead changes.
» The Eagles trailed 31-28 late in the first half before Michigan closed the period on an 8-0 run to lead 39-28 at halftime.
» Michigan outscored Eastern 48-34 in the second half to pull away.
» Final: Michigan 87, Eastern Michigan 62.
NOTEWORTHY PLAYERS AGAINST MICHIGAN
» Mohammad Habhab: 11 points, four rebounds, 5-of-9 shooting
» Emanuel Richards: 11 points, five rebounds, 4-of-6 shooting
» Kaden Johnson: nine points, six rebounds
» Braelon Green: four points, four assists, 2-of-4 shooting
» Gregory Lawson II: one rebound, one assist
KEY TEAM STATS AGAINST MICHIGAN
» Eastern shot 26-of-51 (51.0%) from the field.
» The Eagles made just 2-of-11 (18.2%) from three-point range.
» Eastern shot 8-of-19 (42.1%) from the free-throw line.
» EMU outscored Michigan 44-32 in the paint but committed 21 turnovers; Michigan scored 16 points off EMU turnovers while Eastern managed four points off Michigan miscues.
ACTIVE 2026-27 SEASON NOTES
MOHAMMAD HABHAB PRESEASON ALL-MAC
Mohammad Habhab was named to the Preseason All-Mid-American Conference First Team ahead of the 2026-27 season. Habhab scored 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting in the Oct. 11 exhibition at Michigan.
PRE-2026-27 SEASON NOTES
BILLY DONLON NAMED HEAD COACH
Billy Donlon enters his first season as head coach at Eastern Michigan in 2026-27. He compiled a 155-133 record (.538) as a head coach over nine seasons, including six seasons at Wright State (109-94) and three seasons at Kansas City (46-39).
12 NEWCOMERS JOIN THE ROSTER
Eastern Michigan's 2026-27 roster features 12 newcomers, consisting of 11 transfers and one freshman. Gregory Lawson II is the lone returning player from the previous season's roster.
Transfers joining the program include Kaden Johnson (Huntington), Emanuel Richards (Longwood), Jabri Fitzpatrick (New Haven), Mohammad Habhab (Central Michigan), Braelon Green (Arizona State/Bowling Green), Omar Suleiman (Lake Superior State), DaCory Porter (Delta State), Jordan Wright (Oakland CC), Kilian Brockhoff (William & Mary), Max Booher (Quincy) and Jaiden Martin (Parkland CC). Freshman Aviv Aronov rounds out the newcomers.
MAC PRESEASON POLL
Eastern Michigan was picked to finish ninth in the Mid-American Conference in the 2026-27 MAC preseason poll.
UP NEXT
Following the game at Coastal Carolina University, Eastern Michigan travels to Cincinnati, Ohio, to face Xavier Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. The game will stream on ESPN+.
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).
