The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team overcame an eight-point halftime deficit to secure a 68-64 victory against Oakland University on Thursday, Nov. 21, at the OU Credit Union O'Rena. The Eagles improved to 3-2 on the season, while Oakland fell to 2-3.
EMU's comeback was fueled by an 18-2 run to open the second half, highlighted by Jalen Terry’s (Flint, Michigan/Beecher/Oregon/DePaul) two three-pointers. The Eagles surged ahead to a 46-38 lead, ultimately holding off a late rally by Oakland.
Arne Osojnik (Ljubljana, Slovenia/Dream City Christian) led Eastern with a season-high 16 points, including four three-pointers, marking his seventh career game with at least four made threes. Da’Sean Nelson (Toledo, Ohio/Robert S. Rogers/Kilgore College/DePaul) stood out with 15 points and seven rebounds, leading the team on the glass.
Terry contributed eight points, six rebounds, and five assists, while Jalin Billingsley (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East/Georgetown) added 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Returning to his former school, Yusuf Jihad (Farmington Hills, Michigan/North Farmington/Oakland) scored 10 points, including two key first-half three-pointers.
Eastern Michigan's defense played a crucial role, forcing Oakland to shoot just 16.7% (3-of-18) from beyond the arc. The Eagles also limited turnovers to a season-low six, their fewest since March 2024.
With this win, EMU extended its all-time lead in the series to 12-9, earning its first victory over Oakland since 2017. The Eagles also continued their streak of hitting at least one three-pointer in 618 consecutive games.
Next Up: Eastern Michigan will travel to Houston to compete in the Houston Christian MTE. They will face Houston Christian on November 25 and Northern Arizona on November 26.
