FHSU Athletics
RAPID CITY, S.D. – Dan Makuna scored a career-high 34 points and pulled down a career-best 15 rebounds to lead Fort Hays State to a 68-52 win over South Dakota Mines Wednesday at the King Center. The career night powered the Tigers to a win in their first road contest of the season and improved them to 2-1. South Dakota Mines moved to 1-2 on the season.
Mukuna scored the first 12 points for FHSU and had 20 of Fort Hays State's 39 points first half points. The Tigers grabbed a 24-23 lead on Mukuna's ninth field goal of the first half then closed the half on a 5-0 run to lead 39-31.
The lead reached double figures for the first time on a Kyle Grill basket to open the scoring in the second half, but South Dakota Mines cut the lead down to five at the 17:35 mark. That was as close as the Hardrockers got, as the Tigers pushed their lead into double figures for good at the 10:57 mark on another Mukuna basket. FHSU briefly led by 17, its largest of the game, with about a minute remaining.
Mukuna finished 14-of-21 from the field and a perfect 6-of-6 at the free-throw line. He did all of his damage inside of the 3-point arc. The 14 field goals were the most by a Tiger since Rob Davis hit 14 field goals in a 42-point performance at Emporia State back on February 1, 2017. Mukuna doubled his previous scoring high as a Tiger, set just two games ago when he scored 17 against Southwest Minnesota State in the season opener. He also nearly doubled up his career high in rebounds with eight being his previous high. It was Mukuna's first double-double as a Tiger.
Lucas Hammeke was the only other Tiger to reach double figures in scoring with 12 points, but he also had a big night distributing the ball and with 10 assists picked up a double-double as well. It was a new career high in helpers for Hammeke. He was lurking in triple-double territory, also pulling down a career-high eight rebounds.
The Fort Hays State defense held South Dakota Mines to just 30 percent shooting from the field. The Hardrockers hit all four of their 3-point field goals before halftime, but the Tigers held them to just 21 points in the second half. Jason Lee led the Hardrockers with 15 points, their only scorer in double figures.
Up next
The Tigers return home for their next three contests. They host Bethel College on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 23) at 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.