The Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team showcased offensive firepower. Still, it could not keep pace with the University of Akron, falling 105-81 on Jan. 11 at the George Gervin GameAbove Center in a Mid-American Conference matchup. Despite strong individual performances from four players scoring in double figures, the Eagles were outmatched by the Zips' efficient scoring and commanding second-half surge.
Christian Henry led the Eagles with 22 points, tying a career-high while recording three steals. Da’Sean Nelson continued his streak of double-digit scoring with 16 points and matched his season-high with four assists. Sophomore Arne Osojnik added 15 points, narrowly missing his season-best mark, while Jalen Terry contributed 12 points, marking his ninth game in double figures this season.
Eastern Michigan got off to a fast start, opening with an 11-4 lead fueled by three consecutive three-pointers. However, Akron quickly responded with a dominant 27-11 run to seize control, heading into halftime with a 54-38 advantage. The Eagles showed flashes of resilience but struggled to contain Akron’s high-powered offense, which shot 60.7% from the field. The Zips expanded their lead to as many as 24 points in the second half, setting a facility record with 105 points—the most ever scored by an opponent at the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
Eastern finished the game shooting 44.4% from the floor and 32.1% from three-point range, connecting on five first-half triples for a 45.5% conversion rate. The Eagles scored 81 points, marking the fifth time this season they have surpassed the 80-point mark—already three more times than they achieved last season.
The loss dropped Eastern Michigan to 7-8 overall and 1-2 in MAC play, while Akron improved to 10-5 and remained unbeaten in conference action at 3-0. With the defeat, the Eagles are now 24-38 all-time against Akron and have conceded over 100 points to an opponent for just the second time in the 377-game history of the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
The Eagles look to bounce back when they visit Central Michigan University on Tuesday at McGuirk Arena for a 7 p.m. showdown.
