YPSILANTI, Mich. (Interstat) — The nation’s last remaining undefeated team faced a surprising test on the road Tuesday night but leaned on its dominant first half to survive. The Miami (Ohio) Redhawks built a 21-point halftime lead and withstood a furious second-half rally from Gregory Lawson and the Eastern Michigan Eagles to secure a 74-64 victory in a Mid-American Conference men’s basketball game at the Convocation Center.

The win, played before a crowd of 3,136, pushed Miami’s remarkable season record to 28-0 overall and 16-0 in MAC play. Eastern Michigan fell to 10-18 and 5-11.

The most important part of the game was Miami’s overwhelming and disruptive defensive performance in the first half, which completely stifled the Eagles and built an insurmountable cushion. The Redhawks opened the game on a 17-0 run, holding Eastern Michigan scoreless for the first six and a half minutes. The Eagles missed their first 11 field goal attempts and committed four turnovers before finally getting on the board. Miami’s length and activity forced Eastern Michigan into difficult shots and generated transition opportunities, leading to a 43-22 advantage at the break. The Eagles shot a dismal percentage in the half, a deficit too large to fully overcome despite their second-half surge.

Eastern Michigan’s comeback attempt was spearheaded almost single-handedly by junior guard Gregory Lawson. The Saginaw, Michigan, native erupted for 29 points, with 25 coming after halftime. He fueled a 19-4 run early in the second half that cut Miami’s lead to 52-41 with just over 12 minutes to play. Lawson’s scoring barrage, which included four three-pointers in the second half, brought the Eagles within 10 points on multiple occasions, but they could never close the gap to single digits.

Miami’s balanced offensive attack and timely responses prevented the comeback from ever becoming truly precarious. Brant Byers, a 6-foot-8 junior from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, led the Redhawks with 16 points. Forward Antwone Woolfolk, a 6-foot-9 sophomore from Cleveland, Ohio, added 14 points, with several coming on strong interior finishes. Icelandic forward Almar Atlason contributed 12 points off the bench, and guard Peter Suder of Carmel, Indiana, chipped in 13 points, three assists and two blocks while playing strong perimeter defense.

Eastern Michigan’s Addison Patterson of Mississauga, Canada, provided secondary support with nine points and a game-high seven assists. Defensive anchor Godslove Nwabude, a 6-foot-9 junior from Nigeria, blocked five shots and altered several others.

After Lawson’s three-pointer made it 64-54 with just under three minutes remaining, Miami executed its offense efficiently to seal the game. Woolfolk scored on a dunk off a feed from Luke Skaljac, and after an Eastern Michigan free throw, Byers drained a crucial three-pointer from the wing with 2:35 left to extend the lead back to 69-57, effectively ending the Eagles’ hopes.

The Redhawks, who entered the game as overwhelming favorites according to national statistical projections, were tested by an Eastern Michigan team that outscored them 42-31 in the second half. However, the early defensive clinic proved decisive. Miami’s victory sets up a highly anticipated rematch with Toledo, which visits Oxford next Tuesday. Eastern Michigan travels to face Buffalo on the same night.

The game’s total points, 137, fell well under the pregame over/under line of 151.5, a testament to the defensive struggles of both teams, particularly in the first half.