The Owls Rise From 1-Win Season to March Madness Appearance
Kennesaw State’s men’s basketball team has become the latest underdog to do the impossible, and Cinderella is headed to the big dance. Three years after a miserable one-win season, the Owls are now headed to March Madness.
The Owls’ momentous victory came against Liberty in the Atlantic Sun tournament on Sunday afternoon. After Terrell Burdin hit a free throw, he intentionally missed the second with less than a second left on the clock. This forced Liberty to scramble to get the ball and put up a shot, which they failed to do before time expired. The Owls claimed a thrilling 67-66 victory and the right to dance in the tournament. This marked the first Division I conference championship for Kennesaw State.
Kennesaw State head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim took over the program in the midst of a struggling period. However, he remained determined to get the program moving in the right direction. And it did not take long to get the players to believe.
The KSU Convocation Center was packed with a record crowd of 3,805 fans, and the game was broadcast on national television, marking a significant moment for the school and for the rising basketball program.
After setting a school record with 26 wins and winning 16 of their last 18 games of the season, the Owls are ecstatic to be heading to the dance.