The Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team opened their season with a tough loss, falling to Texas State 64-44 on Monday, Nov. 4, at Strahan Arena in the Mid-American Conference-Sun Belt Conference Challenge. Despite Christian Henry's (Chicago, Illinois/The Skill Factory/Panola College) solid performance, the Eagles struggled to keep pace with the Bobcats, who set the tone early and maintained control throughout the game.
Henry, a junior, led the Eagles with 17 points and added three steals, putting up an impressive effort in an otherwise challenging game for Eastern Michigan. Jalen Terry (Flint, Michigan/Beecher/Oregon/DePaul) contributed seven points while leading the team with seven rebounds and five assists. Jalen Billingsley (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East/Georgetown) added eight points and tied Terry with seven rebounds, with six coming on the offensive glass.
The game began with Texas State taking an early 7-2 lead and closing the first half with a 35-22 advantage. Eastern Michigan found it difficult to respond as the Bobcats built their lead to as much as 28 points in the second half. Shooting struggles hampered the Eagles’ offense, with the team connecting on only 29.3% of their field goals and 20.8% of their three-point attempts. Texas State, on the other hand, shot 41.7% from the field and 46.7% from beyond the arc.
This matchup was the first-ever meeting between Eastern Michigan and Texas State. With the defeat, the Eagles now hold a 1-2 record in the MAC-SBC Challenge. Their lone win came against Georgia Southern last season. Despite the loss, EMU extended its streak of games with at least one three-pointer to 614, which dates back to January 2004.
Looking ahead, the Eagles will host Siena Heights for their home opener on Friday, Nov. 8, at noon. Follow The Eastern Echo for more updates on Eastern Michigan basketball and other sports.
