The Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team narrowly escaped a furious Houston Christian University comeback, securing a 74-73 win on Monday, Nov. 25, at Sharp Gymnasium in Houston. The game, part of the Houston Christian MTE, saw the Eagles withstand a late surge to improve to 4-2 on the season, while the Huskies fell to 2-4.
Eastern led by as many as 16 points with eight minutes remaining before the Huskies stormed back with a 22-4 run, briefly taking a two-point lead at 69-67 with just over two minutes to play. Christian Henry’s (Chicago, Illinois/The Skill Factory/Panola College) game-winning layup with 45 seconds left, followed by two clutch free throws from Jalen Terry (Flint, Michigan/Beecher/Oregon/DePaul), sealed the Eagles’ victory. Houston Christian’s last-second attempt fell short, preserving Eastern’s win.
Da’Sean Nelson (Toledo, Ohio/Robert S. Rogers/Kilgore College/DePaul) led the Eagles with a season-high 19 points on an efficient 9-of-14 shooting, dominating the paint. Terry added 18 points, three steals, and critical free throws in the final seconds, while Jalin Billingsley (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East/Georgetown) contributed 13 points, hitting six of seven shots. Henry rounded out the double-figure scorers with 12 points, including the decisive basket.
Eastern shot an impressive 56.9% from the field, while Houston Christian stayed competitive, shooting 50.9% and connecting on nine three-pointers. The Eagles controlled the paint, outscoring the Huskies 48-34, and held a 28-25 edge in rebounds.
The game began with Eastern surging ahead 33-21 following an 18-5 run late in the first half. A quick rally from Houston Christian brought the lead down to three before Henry’s layup, and Terry’s buzzer-beating steal and score gave Eastern a 40-31 halftime lead.
Despite Houston Christian’s late rally, Eastern’s defense proved critical. Arne Osojnik (Ljubljana, Slovenia/Dream City Christian) posted a career-high four steals, part of the Eagles’ season-best 11 steals. The team also limited turnovers from their opponents, forcing Houston Christian into 16 giveaways.
With this win, the Eagles earned their third non-conference road victory of the season, a feat last accomplished during the 1996-97 campaign. The victory also marked the first-ever meeting between Eastern Michigan and Houston Christian.
Next Up:
Eastern Michigan will remain in Houston to face Northern Arizona on Tuesday, Nov. 26, at 9 p.m. ET as part of the Houston Christian MTE. Fans can catch the action live on ESPN+.
