EL PASO, Texas (Interstat) — In a game defined by grinding defense and missed opportunities, the Kennesaw State Owls edged the UTEP Miners 58-57 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Saturday at Don Haskins Center.

The contest, played before an announced crowd of 1,191, was a stark contrast to the teams’ meeting just over a month prior, when Kennesaw State routed UTEP by 31 points. This time, neither team led by more than five points, and the outcome remained in doubt until the final second.

Kennesaw State guard Shania Nichols, a 5-foot-7 sophomore from Saint Paul, Minnesota, led all scorers with 15 points, including two critical free throws with one second remaining to provide the final margin. Her backcourt mate, Keyarah Berry, a 5-9 sophomore from Rockmart, Georgia, added 14 points and a game-high four steals.

UTEP was paced by guard Portia Adams, a 5-6 sophomore from Cedar Hill, Texas, who finished with 16 points and five assists. Forward Ndack Mbengue, a 6-3 junior from Bergamo, Italy, recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while forward Mary Moses Amaniyo, a 6-1 sophomore from Arua, Uganda, contributed 12 points.

The game’s defining sequence came in the frantic final minute. Trailing 55-53, UTEP’s Amaniyo scored on a layup with 48 seconds left, assisted by Delma Zita, to tie the game. On the ensuing possession, Kennesaw State’s Trynce Taylor missed a layup, but UTEP’s Mbengue was called for a foul on the rebound attempt, sending Kennesaw State’s Madyson Elliott to the line with 41 seconds remaining. Elliott, who had played 20 minutes off the bench, calmly sank both free throws to put the Owls ahead 57-55.

UTEP called a timeout and ran a play for Adams, whose jump shot missed. Amaniyo secured the offensive rebound and scored another putback layup, knotting the game at 57 with 24 seconds left. Kennesaw State advanced the ball and called its own timeout with 18 seconds to set up a final play.

The designed play broke down, leading to a missed layup by Elliott. Berry, however, fought for the offensive rebound and was fouled by UTEP’s Adams on the putback attempt with one second on the clock. With Nichols re-inserted into the game for the crucial free throws, the Owls’ guard stepped to the line and made the first shot. After a UTEP timeout intended to ice her, she sank the second, giving Kennesaw State a 58-57 lead. UTEP’s desperation full-court heave was unsuccessful as time expired.

Statistically, the game was a mirror image of inefficiency. Kennesaw State shot 39.2% from the field, while UTEP managed just 35.8%. Both teams made only four 3-pointers. The difference came at the free-throw line, where the Owls were a near-perfect 14 of 17. UTEP was also efficient at the line, going 15 for 17, but had two fewer attempts.

Turnovers plagued both sides, with Kennesaw State committing 19 and UTEP giving the ball away 20 times. The Owls narrowly won the steals battle 10-9 and out-blocked the Miners 5-2, with Latazia Williamson recording three blocks and TaTianna Stovall adding two for Kennesaw State.

The game unfolded in tense, low-scoring quarters. Kennesaw State held a narrow 16-15 lead after the first period and took a 27-26 advantage into halftime. The Owls extended their lead slightly to 44-40 heading into the final quarter, but UTEP’s 17-point fourth-quarter surge, led by Amaniyo and Adams, set the stage for the dramatic finish.

With the victory, Kennesaw State improved to 12-15 overall. UTEP fell to 13-14. The result defied the pregame analytics, as Interstat’s ELO system had projected UTEP with a 65.2% probability to win.

Kennesaw State concludes its regular season on the road at Jacksonville State on March 7. UTEP, meanwhile, faces a two-game road trip to end its season, traveling to Sam Houston on March 5 and Louisiana Tech on March 7.