By: Joseph Hovey
KENNESAW, Ga. — Kennesaw State women's basketball looks to snap a three-game losing streak and secure its spot in the postseason as it faces New Mexico State on Thursday in the first of a two-game road trip to Conference USA's western front.
STANDINGS STATUS
While KSU has lost three straight, it retains its ninth-place spot in the conference, holding a one-game lead and a tiebreaker advantage over 10
th-place UTEP. The top 10 teams at the end of the regular season advance to the 2026 Air National Guard CUSA Women's Basketball Championship held March 10-14 at Propst Arena in Huntsville, Alabama.
The Owls' current ninth-place position would put them in a No. 8 versus No. 9-seed first-round matchup on March 10 at 12:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN+.
After playing its last three games versus three of the league's top 4 teams, KSU now faces two of the bottom three in the Aggies and Miners. NM State is battling to get back in the tournament field after sliding to 11th following a 69-58 loss to UTEP on Feb. 21. The Aggies are on a four-game skid and have lost five of six since KSU defeated them 70-55 on Jan. 24 in Kennesaw.
NM STATE ROUND TWO
Keyarah Berry scored a career-high 31 points, and
Trynce Taylor added a double-double with 12 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in the Owls' home win over NM State. Berry shot 11-of-14 from the field with 19 of her 31 coming in the second half.
KSU attempted a season-high 38 free throws in the first meeting. The Owl defense also had its best first quarter of the season, holding the Aggies to just six points in the period.
Thursday marks the fourth all-time meeting in the series, with KSU leading 2-1. NM State got the better of the Owls in a 61-57 decision when the two teams last met in Las Cruces on February 22, 2025. Berry also led KSU in that game with 21 points.
GOING WEST
The road trip to NM State and UTEP is the Owls' longest of the season, with a combined round-trip air and drive mileage of 2,647.6. KSU previously traveled 2,516 air miles in a weekend on its road swing to Missouri State and FIU.
NAIL-BITERS
The 63-59 loss to Louisiana Tech on Feb. 21 was the Owls' 11
th game decided by single digits this season. They're now 5-6 in such contests. Six of KSU's last seven outings have come down to single-digit decisions. Those games feature a combined 45 ties and 47 lead changes.
FLYING AROUND
Despite the loss to the Lady Techsters, KSU head coach
Octavia Blue was proud of her team's effort, particularly on the defensive end of the floor with just seven players available.
"We were short in numbers, so we came out in a zone," Blue said following Saturday's game. "We wanted to make sure that zone felt like man with our intensity, our high hands and flying around. I think it made it difficult for Louisiana Tech and threw them off a little bit."
The Owls held the Lady Techsters to 33.9% from the field, their second-worst shooting performance of the season. Only No. 6 LSU on Dec. 13 has held the LA Tech offense in check to such a degree.
Forward
TaTianna Stovall and guard
Kaelyn Flowers powered KSU's defensive performance.
FORTY-SWAT STOVALL
Stovall recorded four blocks, three steals, nine rebounds – including seven on the defensive glass- to lead the Owls' interior defense. The freshman coupled this with nine points for a near-double-double just two days after tallying 11 points and 11 rebounds versus Sam Houston.
Stovall's 40 blocks for the season lead CUSA and make her one of just 10 freshmen nationally with 40 or more swats. Stovall is the only CUSA player this season to record four or more blocks in three different games. Her 40 rejections rank fourth in Division I-era (2005-pres.) single-season blocks at KSU. Stovall is just 10 blocks from rewriting that record.
RISING TO THE OCCASION
With starting point guard
Kailyn Fields injured, Flowers answered the call to run the point for the Owls versus LA Tech. Flowers scored 12 points, her highest total in more than a month, while tying a career-high six steals on defense. Flowers, Berry and Fields have each recorded games of six or more steals this season.
TRUSTING IN TAZIA
Latazia Williamson led KSU on Saturday with 13 points and eight rebounds. Williamson has elevated her play and become a reliable contributor for the Owls in CUSA play. Seven of Williamson's nine double-figure scoring games have come in league action. With Williamson in the frontcourt, KSU's offense has scored 40 or more points in the paint eight times on its way to +160 in the category this season.
Williamson is also on track to join Stovall as just the second pair in program history to each surpass 30 blocks in a single campaign.
KB CLIMBING
Berry leads CUSA in field goals made with 147, ranks second in field goal percentage (47.3) and fifth in scoring at 14.2 per game. On Saturday, the Rockmart, Georgia native tied Greteya Kelley (2007-08) and Kristina Wells (2013-14) for eighth in DI-era single-season field goals made. She is also one free throw shy of overtaking Deandrea Sawyers (2013-17) for sixth in career free throws made.
KNOW THE FOE
NM State is led by fourth-year head coach Jody Adams. The Aggies feature leading scorers in forward Lucia Yenes and guard Imani Warren – both averaging 13 points per game.
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.
