FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State (10-3, 2-2 MIAA)
at Nebraska-Kearney (6-7, 0-4 MIAA)
Tuesday, January 6 • 7:30 p.m.
Kearney, Neb. • Health and Sports Center
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: MIAA Network: CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
Fort Hays State travels north to Kearney on Tuesday night for its first of two meetings in the regular season with Nebraska-Kearney. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Health and Sports Center. The Tigers enter on a five-game win streak with an overall record of 10-3 and MIAA mark of 2-2. UNK is 6-7 overall and 0-4 in the MIAA.
The Tigers are coming off a thrilling 67-65 win over Missouri Western on Saturday. Down 14 points in the second half, the Tigers chipped away and edged the Griffons late on a runner by Lucas Hammeke with four seconds to go. Dan Mukuna led the way for FHSU with 21 points, while Kyle Grill had 17, Jahvari Martino had 11, and Hammeke finished with 10. The result pulled the Tigers back to even in conference play and up to a tie for sixth in the conference standings, while handing the Griffons their first loss in conference play.
The Lopers are coming off a 100-94 loss to Northwest Missouri State back on Saturday and are still in search of their first win of the season. It was their closest result in MIAA play so far this season, but they are allowing 98.8 points per game in their four conference losses so far. The Lopers are 4-2 on their home floor so far this season, but three of the four wins have been by five points or less.
Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney split the regular season series in 2024-25 with both teams winning at home. The Tigers won 79-57 in Hays before the Lopers won 85-63 in Kearney, each team posting a 22-point win. The result in Kearney last year, which ended regular season play, snapped an 8-game win streak by the Tigers in the series which dated back to 2020-21. In that 8-game streak by the Tigers, they held the Lopers to 70 points or less in all eight games (under 60 six times), but saw that string also snapped in the loss in Kearney last year. FHSU had won three-straight meetings between the teams in Kearney prior to last season's loss.
The Tigers are 3-2 in road games so far this season, but all three wins were in non-conference play against RMAC teams. However, the two losses were to current No. 1 nationally ranked Washburn and a receiving votes Central Missouri team.
Fort Hays State has been playing its usual brand of tough defense and ranks second nationally in both scoring defense (58.6 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (.367). The Tigers rank sixth nationally in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.262). The Tigers have held seven of 13 opponents inside of 60 points this season.
Mukuna continues to lead the team in scoring (18.7 ppg) and rebounding (7.2 rpg). He has scored at least 20 points in four-straight games. He averaged 21.5 points per game in the two wins in Hays last week. Grill averages 13.6 points per game and Martino adds 11.4 per game. Martino has scored in double figures in five-straight games and reached 20 points twice in that span.
Ja'Bryant Hill leads the Lopers in scoring at 17.6 points per game, while adding 5.7 assists per game.