On Tuesday night inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center, the Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team, who are 10-19 on the season, 4-12 in the MAC stood on the precipice of a historic upset against the nation’s only remaining undefeated Division I team, the No. 21 Miami University RedHawks who are 28-0 and 15-0 in the MAC. Despite trailing by as many as 26 points in the second half, a sensational performance from freshman guard Gregory Lawson II fueled a furious rally that brought the Eagles within six points in the closing minutes. Ultimately, the RedHawks' veteran composure allowed them to escape Ypsilanti with a 74-64 victory, extending the longest winning streak in Mid-American Conference history.
The evening began with an offensive drought for the Eagles, who struggled to find their rhythm against Miami’s disciplined defense. Eastern Michigan missed its first 12 field goal attempts, a slump that allowed the RedHawks to open the game on a 12-0 run. Eian Elmer broke the ice for Miami with a 15-foot pull-up, and while EMU eventually found the scoreboard, they trailed 43-22 at the intermission. The RedHawks, who entered the game leading the nation in field goal percentage and ranking second in scoring, closed the first half with another 12-0 spurt to solidify their lead.
When Miami’s lead ballooned to 50-24 with 17:10 remaining in the game, the contest appeared decided. However, Gregory Lawson II took over, scoring 13 consecutive points for the Eagles to ignite the home crowd of 3,136—the 16th-largest attendance for an EMU MAC game in program history. Lawson II finished with a career-high 29 points, with 24 of those coming in the second half alone. This performance was the highest-scoring output by an EMU freshman against a Division I opponent since at least the 2002-03 season and the most by any freshman since James Thompson IV in 2015. Lawson II was clinical from distance, shooting 6-of-13 (46.2%) from three-point range, further cementing his status as the MAC’s leader in three-point percentage.
While Lawson II provided the scoring, the Eagles’ defense turned the game into a grind for the RedHawks. EMU held Miami to just 40.6% shooting. Most impressively, the Eagles neutralized a Miami perimeter attack that ranked third nationally in three-point accuracy, limiting them to five makes on 28 attempts (17.9%). Godslove Nwabude was a force in the paint with five blocks and 10 rebounds. Mohammad Habhab added 10 points and seven boards, recording two blocks to extend his streak of at least one rejection to 14 consecutive games.
The momentum reached a fever pitch as Eastern Michigan orchestrated a 30-11 run over 13 minutes in the second half. A flurry of triples from Lawson II and defensive stops allowed the Eagles to cut the deficit to 56-50 with 8:07 remaining. Addison Patterson facilitated the comeback with seven assists, often finding Habhab and Nwabude for high-percentage looks near the rim. Despite the Eagles' pressure, Miami's Brant Byers scored 16 points, and Antwone Woolfolk scored 14 points, making critical plays in the final minutes to stem the tide.
The RedHawks’ 74 points matched their second-lowest scoring total of the year, a testament to the Eagles' defensive intensity. Miami now holds the record for the best start in MAC history, while Eastern Michigan remains hungry for a signature win against a ranked opponent—a feat they last achieved at home in 1994 against No. 14 Wisconsin.
The Eagles will look to build on this resilient performance as they head to Buffalo on Tuesday, March 3, for a 6:30 p.m. tip-off at Alumni Arena. Fans can follow the action on ESPN+ as Eastern Michigan continues its late-season push.
