Kennesaw State Hands Missouri State Fourth Straight Loss

R.J. Johnson's late heroics lift Owls over Bears in Conference USA matchup

Feb. 24, 2026 at 1:55pm

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Missouri State overcame a double-digit deficit in the second half to take the lead late, but Kennesaw State's R.J. Johnson scored 10 points in the final five minutes, including a key jumper in the final minute, to lift the Owls to a 91-87 victory over the Bears in a Conference USA battle.

Why it matters

The loss extends Missouri State's losing streak to four games, further complicating their hopes of securing a favorable seed in the upcoming Conference USA tournament. Kennesaw State, meanwhile, picks up a crucial road win to keep their postseason aspirations alive.

The details

R.J. Johnson scored a game-high 29 points for Kennesaw State, including 10 in the final five minutes, to lead the Owls to victory. Missouri State rallied from a 12-point deficit in the second half to take the lead late, but Johnson hit a key jumper with 40 seconds left to put Kennesaw State back on top. The Bears got 20 points each from Michael Osei-Bonsu and Keith Palek III in the losing effort.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, February 19, 2026.

The players

R.J. Johnson

A senior guard for Kennesaw State who scored a game-high 29 points, including 10 in the final five minutes, to lead the Owls to victory.

Michael Osei-Bonsu

A junior forward for Missouri State who scored 20 points in the losing effort.

Keith Palek III

A senior guard for Missouri State who also scored 20 points to go with 6 rebounds and 7 assists.

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What they’re saying

“We must find a way to close out games like this if we want to make a run in the conference tournament.”

— Keith Palek III, Senior Guard, Missouri State

What’s next

Missouri State will look to snap their four-game losing streak on Saturday when they travel to FIU for a 2 p.m. Central tip-off.

The takeaway

This game highlighted Missouri State's struggles to maintain leads late in close games, an issue they'll need to address if they hope to make a deep run in the Conference USA tournament. Kennesaw State, meanwhile, proved they can win tough road games against quality opponents.