By: Joseph Hovey
KENNESAW, Ga. — Kennesaw State women's basketball seeks its first Conference USA road win of the season when it faces FIU in Miami, Florida on Jan. 10 at 1 p.m. EST.
RECAPPING MISSOURI STATE
KSU fell to 1-2 in CUSA play on Thursday with a 67-61 loss to the Lady Bears in Springfield, Missouri. The Owls led by as many as 12 with 6:22 to play in the third quarter but were unable to overcome a 17-2 Missouri State run which permanently swung momentum in the Lady Bears' favor.
A 32-4 free throw attempt disparity and 29 Missouri State points off 29 turnovers didn't help KSU's cause either. Thursday's loss marked the Owls' first loss of the season when leading at half (33-27) and out shooting their opponent (48-34%).
HOT FROM THE FIELD(s)
As a team, the Owls lead CUSA in 3-point shooting and rank 20
th nationally at 36.8%. KSU's offense continues to lead the league in field goal percentage (44.9%), good for 52
nd in the country.
KSU point guard
Kailyn Fields arrives in Miami having made 10 of her last 17 attempts from beyond the arc, including 4-of-8 at Missouri State and 6-of-9 against WKU on Jan. 4.
SPREADING THE SCORING
Fields, Berry,
Trynce Taylor and
Kaelyn Flowers each scored in double figures at Missouri State to give KSU consecutive games with four such individual scoring outputs.
Three or more Owls have scored in double figures in four straight games and five have recorded outings of 20-plus points.
BERRY GOOD DEFENSE
While KSU struggled with 29 turnovers of its own on Thursday, it also forced a season-high versus a Division I opponent with 24 against the Lady Bears. With 19.2 turnovers forced per game, the Owls rank top 5 in CUSA and top 100 nationally.
The Owls were one off a season-high with 12 steals forced at Missouri State, including a team-high five by guard
Keyarah Berry. Berry now has two games with five steals this season and ranks in the top 10 in CUSA in total steals (32) and steals per game (2.3).
KSU enters Saturday ranked third in CUSA and top 100 nationally in scoring defense, allowing opponents 59.4 points per game. The Owls also lead the league in rebounds allowed (31.1) and blocks per game (3.71).
OWLS IN THE FASTBREAK
With an opportunistic defense comes the ability to push pace and score in transition. KSU has held the advantage in fastbreak scoring in eight of 14 games, including in the last four straight. The Owls are a combined +76 in fastbreak scoring.
CLOSELY CONTESTED
Following Thursday's loss, KSU is 3-2 in games decided by nine points or less in 2025-26. The Owls have one-point wins over East Tennessee State (64-63) and Tennessee Tech (61-60) as well as a 69-68 loss versus FAU.
BERRY IN THE BOOKS
Berry, a fourth-year Owl, enters Saturday's game 15 points shy of surpassing
Carly Hooks (2022-25) for 10
th at KSU in Division I-era (2005-pres.) career scoring. Four more field goals would give Berry 329 for her career, also good for 10
th at KSU in the DI-era.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday marks the fifth all-time meeting between the Owls and Panthers with FIU leading the series 3-1. The two teams last met in a 53-50 KSU win on Feb. 27, 2025, in Kennesaw. FIU and KSU fought through a closely-contested fourth quarter that left both teams squared at 50 with 1:36 to play. Owl guard
Carly Hooks broke the deadlock with a game-winning score through contact and ensuing free throw with 19 seconds remaining. KSU's
Keyarah Berry posted a double-double with a game-high 19 points and 11 rebounds.
KNOW THE FOE
FIU is also coming off a close loss after a 70-67 setback versus Jax State on Jan. 8. The Panthers dropped their CUSA opener to Missouri State 80-69. FIU's Rhema Collins and Parris Atkins are the league's top two scorers with 19.2 and 18.8 points per game, respectively. Collins also doubles as the league's leading rebounder with an average of 10.5 boards per game. The Panthers were picked sixth in the conference preseason poll and are led by sixth-year head coach Jesyka Burks-Wiley.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Season and single-game tickets are available for the 2025-26 Kennesaw State women's basketball campaign. Click
here to secure your seat inside VyStar Arena and don't miss a second of the action!
The Owls Fund
The Owls Fund is the primary fundraising arm of Kennesaw State Athletics with the goal of supporting our student-athletes, coaches and each of our 18 NCAA Division I programs. Through initiatives such as Legacy Lockers, the Dot Martin Scholarship Golf Classic, sport-specific giving opportunities, general donations and season tickets, The Owls Fund connects fans with KSU's programs and student-athletes. Members receive exclusive benefits such as hospitality seating areas and events at Kennesaw State home games, and more. Join The Owls Fund here and discover more opportunities on how you can support Kennesaw State Athletics.
