Middle Tennessee St. walked into a tough spot and walked out with a needed result.
The Blue Raiders (13-12) beat Kennesaw State (14-11) 90-87 on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, stealing a close one from an Owls team that had been searching for consistency. Middle Tennessee St. entered the night on a four-game losing streak (WLLLL) and flipped the script with a high-scoring road win.
What decided it
In a game that never created separation on the scoreboard, Middle Tennessee St. simply made enough plays to stay in front at the end. The Blue Raiders won the scoring margin by three, which was the difference in a matchup where every possession mattered late.
Game flow
With no period-by-period scoring available, the shape of the night is best captured by the final totals: both teams reached the high 80s, and the game finished without overtime. That profile typically points to a contest driven by pace, shot-making, and repeated answers on the other end — and the closing minutes reflected it, with Middle Tennessee St. holding on for the 90-87 finish.
Context: records and form
Kennesaw State: The Owls came in at 14-10 with a LLWWL stretch that underscored their volatility. The loss drops them to 14-11 and reinforces how thin the margin has been during this run.
Middle Tennessee St.: At 12-12 entering the game, the Blue Raiders had been slipping (WLLLL). The win pushes them to 13-12 and gives them a stabilizing result at a time when they needed one.
What it means going forward
For Middle Tennessee St., this is the kind of road win that can reset a season’s trajectory — not because of style points, but because it stops negative momentum and proves they can close a tight game away from home.
For Kennesaw State, the concern is trendline. The Owls are still above .500, but the current form has produced more uneven nights than clean ones. In games that turn into possession-by-possession finishes, the difference between protecting home court and giving one away is often a single defensive stop — and this time, they didn’t find it.
Final
Middle Tennessee St. 90, Kennesaw State 87
Venue: TBD