KENNESAW, Ga. (Interstat) — In a game defined by offensive runs and crucial free throws, Simeon Cottle’s 28 points and a decisive late surge propelled Kennesaw State to an 88-82 victory over Jacksonville State in a Conference USA men’s basketball matchup Saturday night at KSU Convocation Center.

A crowd of 2,141 saw the Owls (10-6, 1-2) snap a two-game conference skid by outlasting the Gamecocks (8-8, 2-2) in a contest that featured 13 lead changes and was tied nine times. The most important sequence came in the final two minutes, with Kennesaw State clinging to a one-point lead.

After Jacksonville State’s Mostapha El Moutaouakkil split a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 81-80 with 1:51 remaining, the Owls’ defense stiffened. On the ensuing possession, Kaden Rickard stripped Jacksonville State point guard Jaye Nash, leading to a fast break where Frankquon Sherman was fouled. Sherman made both free throws to push the lead back to three.

Following a missed layup by the Gamecocks’ Emondrek Erkins-Ford, Cottle was fouled and calmly sank two more free throws with 1:19 left, extending the advantage to 85-80. Jacksonville State never got closer than four points the rest of the way, as the Owls sealed the game at the line, making 25 of 34 free throws overall. The Gamecocks, by contrast, shot just 17 of 27 from the stripe.

The closing minutes were a microcosm of a game where efficiency and composure proved the difference. While both teams shot an identical 48.3% from the field (Jacksonville State 28 of 58, Kennesaw State 27 of 57) and hit nine three-pointers, the Owls maximized their possessions. They scored 88 points on just 74 trips, an offensive rating of 118.7, compared to Jacksonville State’s 82 points on 77 possessions for a 106.7 rating.

Cottle, a 6-foot-1 guard from College Park, Georgia, was the catalyst, adding four assists, a block and a steal in 40 minutes of action. His backcourt mate, RJ Johnson, provided vital support with 16 points and four assists. Sherman added 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds for the Owls.

Jacksonville State was led by a spectacular performance from Mostapha El Moutaouakkil. The 6-foot-6 sophomore from Rabat, Morocco, scored a game-high 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting, relentlessly attacking the rim. Emondrek Erkins-Ford added 11 points and JaCoby Hill chipped in 11, but the Gamecocks’ offense stalled at critical junctures, managing just six assists against 12 turnovers.

The first half set the stage for the back-and-forth battle. Kennesaw State used an early 11-2 run, capped by a Frankquon Sherman dunk off a Kaden Rickard assist, to take a 17-8 lead. The Gamecocks responded with a 12-3 surge of their own, fueled by El Moutaouakkil’s eight points during the stretch, to tie the game at 22-22. The teams traded blows until the break, with the Owls taking a slim 46-43 lead into halftime after Trey Simpson’s three-pointer in the final minute.

The second half followed a similar pattern. Jacksonville State briefly took a 53-51 lead on a El Moutaouakkil jumper, but Kennesaw State answered immediately with a Braedan Lue alley-oop from Cottle. The Owls then built their largest lead at 67-60 on a Cottle three-pointer with 13:39 remaining, only for the Gamecocks to claw back, tying the game at 74-74 on an El Moutaouakkil layup with 5:58 left.

From there, it became a grind. The teams were tied at 78-78 after a Jacoby Hill three-pointer with 4:16 to go before Kennesaw State’s final, game-deciding push from the free-throw line.

The win moved Kennesaw State to 10-6 overall and provided a crucial first conference victory after road losses to Liberty and Delaware. Jacksonville State saw its two-game winning streak end and fell to .500 on the season.

Kennesaw State will host Florida International on Wednesday. Jacksonville State returns home to face Sam Houston on Wednesday. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Jacksonville on Feb. 7.