YPSILANTI, Mich. (Interstat) — A dominant second-half surge propelled the Eastern Michigan Eagles to a 77-59 victory over the Northern Illinois Huskies in a Mid-American Conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at the Convocation Center.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 1,749, was a tale of two halves. The Huskies, despite entering as heavy underdogs, stayed within striking distance for the opening 20 minutes, trailing just 28-26 at halftime. The second half, however, belonged entirely to the home team. Eastern Michigan erupted for 49 points after the break, nearly doubling its first-half output, while its defense stiffened to pull away decisively.

The most important part of the game was Eastern Michigan’s overwhelming performance to start the second half, which transformed a narrow contest into a comfortable win. The Eagles opened the final period on a 17-5 run over the first six minutes, establishing a double-digit lead that Northern Illinois would never seriously threaten. This burst was fueled by efficient offense and disruptive defense, setting the tone for a half in which the Eagles outscored the Huskies by 16 points.

Eastern Michigan’s Addison Patterson and Northern Illinois’ Makhai Valentine tied for game-high scoring honors with 20 points each. Patterson, a 6-foot-7 guard from Mississauga, Canada, added two assists in 26 minutes. Valentine, a 6-3 guard from Munhall, Pennsylvania, played 31 minutes for the Huskies.

The Eagles received a balanced and productive effort from their frontcourt. Mohammad Habhab, a 6-9 forward from Dearborn, Michigan, posted a strong all-around line with 15 points, six assists and two blocks in 36 minutes. Gregory Lawson provided a crucial spark off the bench, scoring all 13 of his points in just 14 minutes of action. Godslove Nwabude contributed eight points and three blocks, while Aidan Rubio also added eight points and two blocks.

For Northern Illinois, Gianni Cobb directed the offense with seven assists to go with nine points. Taj Walters finished with 13 points. The Huskies were hampered by cold shooting, particularly from beyond the arc, and were unable to match Eastern Michigan’s energy and execution after halftime.

With the win, Eastern Michigan improved to 9-8 overall. Northern Illinois fell to 5-11. The Eagles, who were installed as 9.5-point pregame favorites, covered the spread, and the total score of 136 points went over the betting line of 138.5.

Eastern Michigan will travel to face Bowling Green on Saturday. Northern Illinois returns home to host Massachusetts on the same day.