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East Michigan News

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Nelson leads Eastern Michigan past NIU in MAC opener

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Deonte Mack Director of Sports Performance | Eastern Michigan Athletics Website

Deonte Mack Director of Sports Performance | Eastern Michigan Athletics Website

The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team secured a victory in their Mid-American Conference opener, defeating Northern Illinois 75-71. The game took place at the George Gervin GameAbove Center on January 4, 2025.

Da'Sean Nelson led the Eagles with a career-high performance, scoring 32 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Nelson's contribution was significant, as he scored evenly across both halves of the game.

Eastern Michigan faced an early challenge when Northern Illinois took a lead of 31-24 with just under six minutes left in the first half. Despite trailing at halftime, Eastern Michigan rallied to regain control in the second half. They established their largest lead at eight points but had to fend off several comeback attempts by Northern Illinois in the final minutes.

"Eastern moved to 7-6 overall and 1-0 in the MAC while Northern Illinois moved to 4-9 and 0-1 in conference action," according to game statistics.

The Eagles shot 45% from the floor but struggled from beyond the arc with a percentage of only 21.7%. In contrast, Northern Illinois managed a higher three-point shooting percentage of 43.5%.

Nelson's performance marked his highest point tally for Eastern Michigan since Tyson Acuff scored similarly against Bowling Green in February of last year. His field goal success set personal records as well.

Dillon Tingler contributed five points and three steals, showcasing his defensive prowess with a +17 plus-minus rating during his time on court. Christian Henry also made an impact with nine assists and added thirteen points to his name.

Jalin Billingsley rounded out key performances for Eastern Michigan by adding fifteen points to secure his seventh double-digit scoring game this season.

This win broke a losing streak against Northern Illinois, improving EMU's record against them to 47-59 overall and marking an important home victory for their MAC opening game history.

Eastern Michigan is set to play next against Toledo on January 7 at Savage Arena.

For more updates on EMU Eagles' games and events, fans are encouraged to visit EMUEagles.com or follow them on social media platforms like Twitter (@EMU_MBB) and Instagram (@EMUMBB).

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