Eastern Michigan University’s men’s basketball team staged a gritty comeback Thursday night, edging out IU Indianapolis 74-71 in a high-energy non-conference showdown at The Jungle.
Flint native Jalen Terry (Flint, Michigan/Beecher/Oregon/DePaul) led the charge with an electric performance, racking up 28 points, nine rebounds, and three steals. His six three-pointers kept the Eagles flying high, helping them improve to 2-1 this season.
Eastern Michigan was in an early hole, trailing 15-7 before the offense sprang to life. A highlight-reel dunk from Da’Sean Nelson (Toledo, Ohio/Robert S. Rogers/Kilgore College/DePaul) lit up the court, and with Terry’s hot hand leading the way, the Eagles went on a blistering 38-20 run over 11 minutes to take a 45-35 lead before halftime. IU Indianapolis closed the gap slightly, but Eastern held a 45-39 advantage going into the break.
The Eagles carried their momentum into the second half, starting with a quick seven-point run. Terry’s sixth three-pointer of the night extended Eastern’s lead to a game-high 13 points, putting them up 60-47 with just over 13 minutes left. IU Indianapolis, however, wasn’t ready to concede, battling back to cut the deficit to just three points with four minutes remaining. In the final moments, Eastern’s defense held firm, securing the narrow victory as the clock ran out.
Shooting efficiency proved crucial for the Eagles, who connected on 43.3% of their shots from the field, including a sharp 10-of-24 from beyond the arc. In contrast, IU Indianapolis struggled offensively, hitting 26.7% of its field goal attempts. Terry’s 28 points matched his career high, a mark he first set at DePaul, and his six three-pointers were the most by an Eagle since Arne Osojnik’s (Ljubljana, Slovenia/Dream City Christian) performance against Western Michigan last season. The Eagles’ defense also contributed to the win, recording five blocks, marking the first time in months they’d achieved that collective effort.
This victory also extended Eastern’s remarkable streak of 616 consecutive games in which they have made at least one three-pointer, lasting since 2004 without a single game missed from beyond the arc. With a solid road win under their belt, the Eagles are now looking to carry this momentum into Saturday’s game against Cleveland State, where they’ll aim to keep Terry’s standout season off to a strong start.
