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KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State men's basketball received the No. 14 seed in the West Region and will face 3-seeded Gonzaga in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 19 at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore. The game will tip off at 10:00 pm ET on TBS, with Brad Nessler, Wally Szczerbiak and Jared Greenberg providing the call.
The Owls are making their second-ever trip to March Madness overall, previously earning selection in 2023, when 14-seeded KSU fell 72-67 to No. 3 Xavier in the first round in Greensboro, N.C.
Kennesaw State (21-13) earned an automatic bid to this year's NCAA Tournament after claiming its first-ever Conference USA Tournament Championship, defeating LA Tech, 71-60, on March 14 in Huntsville, Ala. The Owls won three games in historic fashion in the Rocket City under third-year head coach Antoine Pettway. The 21 victories also are the second-most wins in school history (D1 era).
No. 3 Gonzaga is making its 27th consecutive NCAA Tournament, finishing 30-3 in 2026 as the West Coast Conference Champions. The Bulldogs defeated Santa Clara 79-68 in the WCC Championship Game on Tuesday, March 10. Gonzaga is 47-27 all-time in its previous 26 NCAA Tournament appearances with two trips to the national championship game.
Thursday's Round of 64 contest marks the first meeting between the Owls and the Bulldogs.
The winner of the KSU-Gonzaga game will advance to play the winner of No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas/NC State contest on Saturday, March 21. Should Kennesaw State advance, it would be the first all-time meeting against any of the three potential opponents.
The Owls are 0-4 all-time against teams from the West Coast Conference, having only played Pacific, Saint Mary's, Santa Clara and Seattle. KSU is 1-11 all-time against teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (winning over Georgia Tech in 2010) and 0-11 all-time against teams from the Southeastern Conference.
This also marks the Owls' second-ever trip to the Pacific Northwest, and the first since a pair of road games at Washington and Seattle in November of 2017.
For KSU fans interested in purchasing tickets, they can visit the official NCAA March Madness ticket site at https://www.ncaatickets.com.
The Champions Fund
The Champions Fund is a newly created, 100% tax deductible, philanthropic opportunity to contribute strategic revenue to Kennesaw State Athletics, with the goal of strengthening our ability to recruit and retain top-tier talent in this new era of collegiate athletics. Contributions to the Champions Fund will help aid in funding student-athlete recruitment and retention, as well as helping the Owls provide competitive excellence through investments in coaching, travel and facilities. The fund will also give an elevated student-athlete experience, including enhanced academic, nutrition, wellness and leadership programs. Donate to the Champions Fund here and help us support our Kennesaw State Owls.
