KENNESAW, Ga. (Interstat) — Kennesaw State erased a halftime deficit to edge Louisiana Tech 58-55 in a Conference USA men’s basketball game Saturday at KSU Convocation Center. The Owls, who trailed 25-23 at the break, outscored the Bulldogs 35-30 in the second half to secure the win before a crowd of 1,827. Kaden Cooper led all scorers with 18 points for Louisiana Tech. Kennesaw State was paced by RJ Johnson’s 15 points and five assists, while Braedan Lue added eight points and five blocks. The victory improved Kennesaw State to 16-11 this season. Louisiana Tech fell to 15-12. The Owls avenged a six-point loss to the Bulldogs last month.

KENNESAW, Ga. (Interstat) — In a grinding, defensive struggle defined more by missed shots than made ones, Kennesaw State edged Louisiana Tech 58-55 in a Conference USA men’s basketball game Saturday night at KSU Convocation Center. The contest, witnessed by 1,827 fans, saw both teams labor offensively, with neither shooting better than 35% from the floor. The Owls improved to 16-11 overall, while the Bulldogs fell to 15-12. The most important part of the game unfolded in the final two minutes. Trailing 53-50, Kennesaw State’s Kaden Rickard, a reserve guard from Madison, Alabama, drained a critical three-pointer off an assist from Frankquon Sherman to tie the game with just under three minutes to play. After a Louisiana Tech miss, Jaden Harris of Atlanta connected on another three-pointer, again assisted by Sherman, giving the Owls a 56-53 lead with 2:03 remaining. Louisiana Tech’s AJ Bates answered with a driving layup to cut the deficit to one, but Kennesaw State’s Braedan Lue responded with a floating jumper in the lane, assisted by Rickard, to push the lead back to 58-55 with 1:23 left. That basket proved to be the final points of the game. The Bulldogs had multiple opportunities to tie in the closing seconds. After a timeout with 1:17 left, they generated three looks from beyond the arc in their final possession. DJ Dudley missed a three, AJ Bates missed another, and after an offensive rebound, Bates’ step-back three-point attempt at the buzzer was off the mark, sealing the victory for the home team. The game was a stark contrast to the teams’ first meeting on Jan. 23, an 82-76 Louisiana Tech win that featured far more scoring. This rematch was a battle of attrition. Louisiana Tech finished 18 of 57 from the field, a frigid 31.6%, and just 4 of 20 from three-point range. Kennesaw State was scarcely better, shooting 20 of 57 overall and 7 of 30 from deep. Both teams posted nearly identical offensive ratings in a slow-paced game, with Louisiana Tech at 78.5 and Kennesaw State at 78.9. The Bulldogs won the turnover battle, forcing 13 while committing 17, and dominated the offensive glass 13-5, leading to 13 second-chance points. However, they could not overcome their own shooting woes or Kennesaw State’s late-game execution. Kennesaw State guard RJ Johnson led all scorers with 15 points, adding five assists. His backcourt mate, Frankquon Sherman of Lincolnton, Georgia, contributed 10 points and three assists. The Owls’ interior defense was anchored by Braedan Lue of Douglasville, Georgia, who scored eight points, grabbed five rebounds and blocked five shots. For Louisiana Tech, Kaden Cooper of Ada, Oklahoma, shouldered the offensive load with a team-high 18 points. Guard AJ Bates from Houston played all 40 minutes, scoring 12 points and dishing out five assists. The Bulldogs’ rim protection was formidable, led by 7-foot center Melian Martinez of the Dominican Republic, who blocked five shots in just 21 minutes, and Lue’s counterpart, Will Allen of New Orleans, who blocked three. The first half was a low-scoring affair, with Louisiana Tech taking a 25-23 lead into the break. The Bulldogs maintained a slim margin for much of the second half before the Owls mounted their decisive late run. Kennesaw State, which was a 7-point pregame favorite, narrowly covered the spread in a game that finished far under the total of 147.5. The win gave the Owls a measure of revenge for their loss in Ruston last month and provided a crucial conference victory as the regular season enters its final stretch. Louisiana Tech will look to rebound when it hosts Missouri State on Thursday. Kennesaw State returns to action the same night, hosting Liberty.

Preview: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Kennesaw State Owls KENNESAW, Ga. (Interstat) — A pivotal Conference USA men’s basketball matchup featuring two teams jockeying for postseason position will take place Saturday when the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs visit the Kennesaw State Owls. Both teams enter the 3 p.m. EST tip-off at the KSU Convocation Center with identical 15-11 overall records, adding stakes to an already compelling league contest. The Bulldogs arrive following a 77-71 home victory over Jacksonville State on Wednesday, fueled by a historic performance from point guard AJ Bates. The player to watch dished out 15 assists to go with 13 points in that win, showcasing the distribution skills that make him the engine of the Louisiana Tech offense. Over his last eight games, Bates is averaging 11.0 points and 7.5 assists per contest. The Owls counter with their own high-scoring guard in RJ Johnson, who is coming off a spectacular 29-point effort in a 91-87 road win at Missouri State on Wednesday. Johnson has been on a tear, scoring 20 or more points in four of his last six outings, including a 20-point, 9-rebound, 7-assist stat line in a rout of New Mexico State on Jan. 31. This game serves as a quick rematch from last month, when Louisiana Tech secured an 82-76 home win over Kennesaw State on Jan. 23. The Bulldogs will look to complete the regular-season sweep, while the Owls aim to defend their home court and level the series. Louisiana Tech has shown resilience in close games, with a double-overtime road win at Missouri State on Feb. 12 among its recent results. Kennesaw State’s conference slate has been a rollercoaster, featuring both explosive offensive nights and tough defensive lapses. The outcome could significantly impact the Conference USA standings as the regular season enters its final weeks. Following this game, Louisiana Tech hosts Missouri State and Florida International next week, while Kennesaw State prepares to host Liberty and Delaware.