KENNESAW, Ga. (Interstat) — The Kennesaw State Owls used a dominant first quarter and a balanced offensive attack to cruise past the UTEP Miners 83-52 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Thursday night at the KSU Convocation Center.

The Owls (8-8) seized control immediately, opening the game on a 17-2 run and outscoring the Miners 24-15 in the opening period. That early cushion proved insurmountable for UTEP (9-9), which never recovered from the initial onslaught and trailed by double digits for the final three quarters.

Kennesaw State’s offensive efficiency was the story, as the Owls shot 46.4% from the field and converted 15 of 20 free throw attempts. They also dominated the glass, outrebounding UTEP 46-30 and grabbing 15 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points. The Owls’ offensive rating of 108.5 on 76 possessions starkly contrasted with UTEP’s rating of 69.7.

The most important part of the game was unquestionably the opening ten minutes. Kennesaw State set an overwhelming tone from the tip, exploiting UTEP’s early mistakes and cold shooting. The sequence that encapsulated the period began with the Owls leading 5-2. After a UTEP timeout, Kennesaw State’s Shania Nichols, who had just entered the game, immediately drained a three-pointer off an assist from Kailyn Fields. Following a UTEP turnover, Nichols struck again from beyond the arc, pushing the lead to 13-4 less than five minutes into the game. The Owls’ defense was equally disruptive, forcing six UTEP turnovers in the quarter and limiting the Miners to one-shot possessions, while their own offense executed with precision to build a lead that UTEP never seriously challenged.

Shania Nichols led all scorers with 18 points for Kennesaw State, adding four assists. Trynce Taylor matched her with 18 points, and Keyarah Berry provided a spark off the bench with 13 points. The Owls’ depth was evident as Latazia Williamson added 10 points and TaTianna Stovall contributed nine points, nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

UTEP struggled offensively all night, shooting just 34.8% from the field and missing all seven of its three-point attempts. The Miners were also plagued by 17 turnovers and a dismal 57.1% performance from the free-throw line, making only 20 of 35 attempts.

Mary Moses Amaniyo led UTEP with 13 points, while Portia Adams scored 14 and Delma Zita added eight. The Miners’ offense never found a rhythm, scoring 14, 12, and 11 points in the final three quarters, respectively.

The victory moved Kennesaw State back to .500 on the season, while UTEP saw its record fall to an even 9-9. Both teams return to conference play Saturday. Kennesaw State hosts New Mexico State, while UTEP travels to face Jacksonville State.

The game was played before an announced crowd of 441 at the KSU Convocation Center.