{"id":92709,"date":"2025-12-04T14:08:58","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T20:08:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=92709"},"modified":"2025-12-04T14:09:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T20:09:09","slug":"tiger-men-open-miaa-play-with-challenging-road-slate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=92709","title":{"rendered":"Tiger men open MIAA play with challenging road slate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By MAYAN PAZ<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiger Media Network<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fort Hays State men\u2019s 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.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s team. He said he is glad to be in a leadership position on this year\u2019s team and that his play in the non-conference has boosted his confidence ahead of MIAA play. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think that coach (Mark Johnson) trusts me more now, and so he trusted me to be in that position, and I\u2019m glad to do so,\u201d Mukuna said. \u201cMore 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s 41-31 victory in Warrensburg was FHSU\u2019s lowest scoring game since 1949. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s going to be a much different experience than what they are used to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLast 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,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cThis 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johnson also highlighted the Tigers\u2019 need to use their defense to limit the pace of the game and utlize Mukuna and FHSU\u2019s other post players\u2019 size in the paint. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI do think we have a really good advantage in the post, we’ve got to be able to get it inside,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cOur 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Washburn retained a large portion of last year’s team, Johnson expects a challenging match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI mean, they’re number two in the country [and] haven’t really missed a beat from last year,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cThey’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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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