Preview: Middle Tennessee at Kennesaw State KENNESAW, Ga. (Interstat) — The Kennesaw State Owls will look to solidify their position in the Conference USA standings when they host the struggling Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders on Thursday night at the KSU Convocation Center. The Owls (14-9 overall) enter with the better record and will aim to bounce back from a 77-58 road loss at Jacksonville State last Saturday. Kennesaw State has been strong at home this season, with recent victories over New Mexico State and Western Kentucky in Kennesaw. Meanwhile, Middle Tennessee (11-12) is mired in a five-game losing streak, the latest a heartbreaking 89-88 overtime defeat at Delaware on Feb. 7. The Blue Raiders have shown fight, with three of those losses coming by five points or fewer, including an overtime contest, but closing games has been an issue. A key player to watch is Middle Tennessee guard Torey Alston, who has been a bright spot during the skid. He is coming off a 21-point, five-rebound performance against Delaware and averaged 18.2 points over his last five games. His backcourt production will be critical for the Blue Raiders’ chances. For Kennesaw State, guard Perry Smith provided a spark off the bench with 12 points in the loss to Jacksonville State and will be counted on for backcourt depth. The teams’ most recent meeting was a classic, with Middle Tennessee edging Kennesaw State 68-67 in Murfreesboro on Dec. 17. That result guarantees a motivated Owls squad seeking payback on their home floor. The matchup features contrasting trajectories: Kennesaw State seeks to build momentum for a conference tournament push, while Middle Tennessee desperately needs a win to halt its slide and get back to .500. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. EST Thursday.