Preview: Kennesaw State Owls at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs RUSTON, La. (Interstat) — Two teams trending in opposite directions will meet in a Conference USA men’s basketball matchup Friday afternoon when the Kennesaw State Owls visit the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at the Thomas Assembly Center. The Owls (12-7, 4-2 CUSA) have won four of their last five games, showcasing one of the league’s most potent offenses during that stretch. Their surge has been fueled by the outstanding play of guard RJ Johnson, who is averaging 27.3 points over his last three contests. Johnson is coming off a 32-point, five-assist performance in a narrow 93-87 road loss to Sam Houston on Wednesday. Kennesaw State’s recent success includes an 81-65 win at Western Kentucky last Saturday. Prior to the Sam Houston defeat, the Owls had won four straight, averaging 87 points per game in those victories. Conversely, Louisiana Tech (10-8, 2-4) has struggled to find consistency in league play, dropping four of its last five. The Bulldogs are coming off a 64-60 loss at Jacksonville State last Saturday. They have relied heavily on guard DJ Dudley, who has scored in double figures in eight consecutive games and is averaging 19.4 points in conference action. Dudley logged 40 minutes and scored 25 points in the loss to Jacksonville State. Defensive intensity will be a key for the Bulldogs, who must find a way to slow Johnson and an Owls attack that has topped 80 points in nine games this season. Louisiana Tech has shown an ability to grind out close games at home, evidenced by a 59-58 win over Middle Tennessee on Jan. 14 and a 70-68 overtime victory against Delaware on Jan. 10. The Bulldogs hold a 10-8 overall record but have faced a challenging early conference slate. Friday’s game offers a chance to stabilize their season before a two-game road trip next week. For Kennesaw State, maintaining its offensive rhythm on the road is critical to keeping pace in the upper tier of the conference standings. The teams will meet again in Kennesaw, Georgia, on Feb. 21. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST Friday.