Box Score After breaking the school record for consecutive wins with a mark of 18-straight the #2 Highland Men's basketball team saw that streak come to end as they wrapped up non-conference play against NJCAA Division I team State Fair Community College. The Scotties fell to 18-1 on the season with a tough 87-78 double overtime loss on the road.

A slow start to the contest offensively for Highland led to the Scotties trailing early as State Fair led 11-5 with 11:50 left in the first half but the Scotties chipped at the lead and tied the game at 19-19 on a Taiveyhon Mason three-pointer. The next Scottie possession Highland took their first lead at 21-19 on an Andre Jackson bucket. Lead however didn't hold as the two teams went into halftime tied at 28-28.

The trend of being tied continued in the second half as neither team was able to distance themselves from the other. Down by three late the Scotties were able to get the ball back on a State Fair turnover and with 2.1 seconds remaining Luiz Machado Jr. drained a three-pointer to tie the game and after State Fair missed at the buzzer the contest went to overtime.

In overtime it was much of the same as the rest of the game tight and late in overtime Highland had the opportunity to earn the win but a three-pointer was unsuccessful by Machado Jr. this time so on to a second overtime the game went. In the second overtime Amear Johnson opened the scoring with three-point play giving Highland the lead 74-71 with 4:35 left in the game. The rest of the contest State Fair outscored Highland 16-4 to give Highland an 87-78 loss.

Highland shot just 37.8% from the floor in the contest and turned the ball over a season high 22 times, while going just 15-30 from the free throw line. State Fair in the contest shot 42% from the floor and went 25-37 from the free throw line.

Mason led the Scotties in the loss carrying the load especially early in the contest and then finishing with a game high 28 points on 11-23 shooting adding five rebounds and three steals. Machado finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Tristen Hull recorded his third double-double of the season posting 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

UP NEXT
Scotties will look to put their first loss of the season in the rear view mirror when they hit the court next to open Conference play on Wednesday, January 23^rd at #10 Johnson County.