Kennesaw State Upsets Liberty in Conference Battle

Owls' Johnson and Sherman combine for 43 points in victory over Flames

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Kennesaw State guard R.J. Johnson scored 26 points, including 20 in the second half, to lead the Owls to a 74-65 victory over Liberty on Thursday night. Kennesaw State forward Frankquon Sherman added 18 points and 9 rebounds as the Owls handed the Flames their first conference loss of the season.

Why it matters

This game was an important conference matchup between two of the top teams in the league. Liberty had been on a hot streak, winning 15 of its last 16 games, while Kennesaw State was looking to bounce back from its first conference loss. The Owls' victory over the Flames shakes up the conference standings and shows that Kennesaw State is a force to be reckoned with.

The details

Kennesaw State shot the ball extremely well, hitting 11 of 18 three-pointers (61.1%) and getting a dominant performance from Johnson, who made 8 of 13 shots overall. Liberty struggled defensively, allowing the Owls to get open looks from deep and failing to control the defensive glass, grabbing just one offensive rebound. The Flames did get to the free throw line 23 times, making 19 of those attempts, but it wasn't enough to overcome Kennesaw State's hot shooting.

  • The game was played on Thursday, February 27, 2026.

The players

R.J. Johnson

A guard for Kennesaw State who scored a game-high 26 points, including 20 in the second half, to lead the Owls to victory.

Frankquon Sherman

A forward for Kennesaw State who recorded a double-double with 18 points and 9 rebounds.

Ritchie McKay

The head coach of the Liberty Flames, who praised Johnson's performance and acknowledged his team's defensive lapses.

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What they’re saying

“He's a tough matchup. He was recruited at the high-major level. There's a lot of those guys in this league. Defensively, we let him get loose because we had a couple miscommunications on his actions. That's something we will make sure we do a better job of next time, because that obviously hurt us.”

— Ritchie McKay, Liberty Head Coach (blogspot.com)

What’s next

Liberty will look to bounce back on the road against Jacksonville State on Saturday, while Kennesaw State will host Delaware for its Senior Day game.

The takeaway

This game showcased the depth and competitiveness of the conference, as Kennesaw State proved it can compete with one of the league's top teams. Liberty's defensive struggles and inability to control the boards were key factors in the loss, and the Flames will need to shore up those areas as they look to regain their footing in the conference standings.