KENNESAW, Ga. (Interstat) — In a dramatic clash of Owls decided in the final seconds, the visiting Florida Atlantic women’s basketball team escaped the KSU Convocation Center with a 69-68 victory over Kennesaw State on Saturday.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 567, was a tale of contrasting halves and ultimately decided by a single, critical three-pointer from Florida Atlantic’s Destyne Jackson with just six seconds remaining on the clock.

Florida Atlantic appeared to be in firm control for much of the contest, building a 37-31 halftime lead and then exploding in the third quarter. They outscored Kennesaw State 24-21 in the period, extending their advantage and seemingly positioning themselves for a comfortable win. However, the fourth quarter saw a stunning reversal of fortune.

The home-standing Kennesaw State Owls mounted a fierce comeback, capitalizing on a frigid shooting performance from Florida Atlantic, which managed only eight points in the final quarter. A dominant performance inside fueled the rally, as Kennesaw State outscored Florida Atlantic 44-26 in the paint for the game. The comeback was spearheaded by a remarkable individual effort from Kennesaw State’s Keyarah Berry, who scored 25 points, with many coming during the team’s desperate push in the final period.

With just over 20 seconds left, Kennesaw State held a 68-66 lead and had multiple opportunities to seal the game at the free-throw line. However, they missed three crucial free throws in the closing moments, leaving the door open for Florida Atlantic.

Following a missed second free throw by Kennesaw State with 19 seconds left, Florida Atlantic secured the defensive rebound and advanced the ball without a timeout. The possession culminated in Jackson, stationed beyond the arc, receiving a pass from Michiyah Simmons and draining the game-winning three-pointer.

Kennesaw State had one final chance, calling a timeout to advance the ball, but could not get a shot off before the buzzer, sealing the heartbreaking loss.

The game was a statistical paradox. Kennesaw State shot a higher percentage from the field, making 26 of 54 attempts compared to Florida Atlantic’s 22 of 44. They also dominated the glass, particularly on the offensive end, grabbing 10 offensive rebounds to Florida Atlantic’s three, which led to 16 second-chance points.

However, Florida Atlantic’s success from long range and Kennesaw State’s profound struggles there proved to be the difference. Florida Atlantic connected on 8 of 16 three-point attempts, a 50 percent clip, while Kennesaw State made just 1 of 6 from deep. Furthermore, both teams were plagued by poor free-throw shooting, but Kennesaw State’s inefficiency was more costly; they made only 15 of 31 attempts from the line, leaving a staggering 16 points unclaimed. Florida Atlantic was only slightly better, converting 17 of 30.

Beyond Jackson’s clutch shot, Florida Atlantic was led by a balanced scoring attack. Destyne Jackson finished with 13 points, while Michiyah Simmons added 12 points and a team-high five assists. Jess Moors contributed 11 points for the victors.

For Kennesaw State, Berry’s game-high 25 points were supported by a strong interior presence from TaTianna Stovall, who pulled down nine rebounds. Latazia Williamson provided a spark off the bench with seven points and five rebounds in just 10 minutes of play.

With the win, Florida Atlantic improves to 2-0 on the young season, while Kennesaw State falls to 1-1. Florida Atlantic will look to continue its momentum on the road at Miami (Fla.) on Thursday, Nov. 13. Kennesaw State will aim to rebound when they travel to face East Tennessee State on Wednesday, Nov. 12.