By MAYAN PAZ
Tiger Media Network
The Fort Hays State men’s basketball team is preparing to open the 2025-26 MIAA season on the road against two strong opponents. FHSU will face (RV) Central Missouri tonight and No. 2 Washburn on Saturday.
The 5-1 Tigers are also receiving votes in the Top 25 and are being led by junior forward Dan Mukuna, who is averaging a team high 19.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Mukuna played as a reserve for last year’s team. He said he is glad to be in a leadership position on this year’s team and that his play in the non-conference has boosted his confidence ahead of MIAA play.
“I think that coach (Mark Johnson) trusts me more now, and so he trusted me to be in that position, and I’m glad to do so,” Mukuna said. “More of my teammates were also on the bench last year and stepped up this season. I think the games so far have improved our confidence a lot, and we are ready for the challenge.”
Central Missouri (7-2) made it difficult for the Tigers last season, as the Mules and Tigers played three times, all of which were low-scoring affairs. FHSU won twice, including a quarterfinal victory in the MIAA tournament, but UCM’s 41-31 victory in Warrensburg was FHSU’s lowest scoring game since 1949.
However, the Mules have changed pace this year, averaging nearly 20 points per game more than in 24-25. FHSU Head Coach Mark Johnson said the Tigers know that it’s going to be a much different experience than what they are used to.
“Last year, they were very similar to us – defense, physical, mature team, deliberate in what they did, and they were low scoring, really grinded out games outside of the conference tournament,” Johnson said. “This year, they’re really trying to play fast. They’re scoring in the 80s, not as limited in possessions as they have been in the past. I think the key for us is being able to slow them down.”
Johnson also highlighted the Tigers’ need to use their defense to limit the pace of the game and utlize Mukuna and FHSU’s other post players’ size in the paint.
“I do think we have a really good advantage in the post, we’ve got to be able to get it inside,” Johnson said. “Our bodies are bigger than their bodies, so that’ll be a big key. Can our size offset their speed and quickness up and down the floor.”
After playing the Mules, the Tigers will stay on the road to play the 8-0 Wasburn Ichabods. Last year, the Tigers lost twice to the Ichabods, as Washburn, the MIAA regular-season champions, advanced all the way to the Division II national semifinals.
As Washburn retained a large portion of last year’s team, Johnson expects a challenging match.
“I mean, they’re number two in the country [and] haven’t really missed a beat from last year,” Johnson said. “They’re beating people fairly easily up to this point in the season. So, I mean, that’ll be a hard game. It’s always a hard game there.”
FHSU and UCM tip off at 7:30 p.m. tonight. FHSU will play Washburn at 3 p.m. on Saturday before returning home to play William Jewell on Saturday, December 13.