Midway University vs Kennesaw State prediction: Simeon Cottle and a reloaded Kennesaw State open against NAIA Midway
The defending Conference USA champions lost three rotation pieces to the portal, and an early November tune-up against Midway is the first look at who carries the load now.
- Kennesaw State should control a game against an opponent we hold no Division I data for; the real interest is the new rotation.
- Watch Simeon Cottle's workload: he scored 20.2 points per game last season in 17 games and will carry a bigger role.
- No spread or total has been posted. Last season's 43.7% free throw rate, 11th nationally, frames how the Owls score.
A champion with holes to fill
Kennesaw State won its first Conference USA tournament title in March, then lost to Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament. Now the Owls have been picked second in the league's preseason poll, and they host Midway University, a program listed as NAIA last season.
The roster is only partly intact. Players on this season's team logged 60.5% of last season's minutes. RJ Johnson left for Mississippi State, Braedan Lue for Tennessee and Frankquon Sherman for High Point. That makes last season's 21-14 team a loose guide, not a blueprint.
The game's status is unsettled. Midway's schedule lists it as an exhibition, while ESPN carries it as a regular game. Kennesaw State's schedule lists a 7 p.m. tip, but other listings still show the time as TBA.
Cottle's team now
Simeon Cottle is the returner who matters most. Last season he averaged 20.2 points in 17 games, shot 38.7% from three and made 86.8% of his free throws, with a usage rate of 27.6%, the share of possessions he finished while on the floor. With Johnson gone, more of the offense runs through him.
Trey Simpson is the steady frontcourt piece, a 25.5-minutes-per-game forward who blocked 1.3 shots per game last season. Amir Taylor posted the best effective field goal percentage among the returners at 61.1%, a shooting measure that counts threes 1.5 times.
How the Owls won last season
Kennesaw State's identity last season was physical. The Owls got to the line constantly, ranking 11th of 365 in free throw rate (free throw attempts per field goal attempt), and they grabbed 36.1% of their own misses, 32nd nationally. On defense they blocked 13.7% of opponents' two-point tries, 18th in the country.
The flaws came from the same aggression. Opponents earned free throws at a rate that ranked 355th, and the Owls made only 69.3% of their own, 289th. A November game against a smaller-college opponent is a chance to see whether the new group cleans that up. The bigger test comes Dec. 31, when Western Kentucky visits on ESPN2.
Where the money is on Midway University vs Kennesaw State
On the Kalshi moneyline: Midway University: 86% of bets, 1% of the money; Kennesaw State: 14% of bets, 99% of the money.
Key players
- Simeon Cottle (Kennesaw State): Averaged 20.2 points last season with a 129.8 offensive rating across 17 games.
- Trey Simpson (Kennesaw State): Started 23 of 35 games last season and made 58 threes at 34.7%.
- Amir Taylor (Kennesaw State): Shot 56.1% from the field last season with a 125.3 offensive rating.
Numbers that matter
| Returning minutes | 60.5% | Share of last season's minutes played by players on this season's roster, so last year's team numbers only partly apply. |
|---|---|---|
| Free throw rate, last season | 11th | The Owls lived at the line last season, the clearest edge they hold over a smaller opponent. |
| Opponent free throw rate, last season | 355th | Kennesaw State fouled as much as almost anyone last season, the habit to watch early. |
| Block rate, last season | 13.7% | Ranked 18th nationally, a rim-protection edge that Simpson helps carry over. |
Midway University vs Kennesaw State: quick answers
When is Midway University vs Kennesaw State?
Monday, November 2, 2026 at 12:00 AM ET.
Where is the money on Midway University vs Kennesaw State?
On the Kalshi moneyline: Midway University: 86% of bets, 1% of the money; Kennesaw State: 14% of bets, 99% of the money.