East Michigan News

The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team has secured a spot in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament after defeating Ohio University 83-79. This victory, coupled with losses by Ball State University and Western Michigan University, guarantees the Eagles at least the No. 7 seed. It marks their first MAC Tournament berth since 2020 and their first appearance in Cleveland for the tournament since 2018.

Christian Henry led Eastern with 23 points, contributing significantly to the team's success despite losing a 15-point lead in the first half. Jalen Terry added 15 points, Da'Sean Nelson scored 14, Arne Osojnik contributed 13, and Yusuf Jihad had 10 points. This game marked only the second time this season that five EMU players scored in double figures.

Eastern started strong, leading Ohio early on but saw its advantage diminish as Ohio tied the game at halftime. In the second half, Eastern regained control with three-pointers from Terry and Osojnik and maintained their lead despite Ohio's efforts to close the gap. The Eagles' impressive free throw shooting down the stretch helped secure their victory.

Eastern Michigan now holds an overall record of 16-14 and a conference record of 9-8, while Ohio falls to an identical overall record of 16-14 but has a better conference record of 10-7. Notably, this win completed Eastern's first two-game season sweep of Ohio since the 1994-95 season.

EMU will next face Kent State University on Friday, March 7. A win could improve their seeding position to as high as No.3 for the upcoming MAC Tournament.

For more updates on EMU's progress, fans can visit EMUEagles.com or follow them on social media platforms such as Twitter (@EMU_MBB) and Instagram (@EMUMBB).