Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 With the holiday break in the rear view mirror the #2 Highland women's basketball team wasted no time getting back to action hitting the hardwood New Year's and the 2nd at the MAC New Year's Classic in Park Hills, Missouri. 

The Scotties started the New Year with a 78-47 win over Moberly Area Community College but followed that up with their first loss of the season falling 69-60 to the host of the tournament Mineral Area Community College. The 1-1 performance moves the Scotties to 13-1 on the season. 

On Tuesday the Scotties took on Moberly Area CC and the game started slow for both teams with the lead in favor of Moberly Area or the contest tied early. At the end of the first quarter the lead was in the back pocket of Moberly Area 17-15 and remained that way until late in the second quarter when Highland tied the game at 22-22 and the Scotties finished the first half on a 12-1 run over the final five minutes of the half to lead 31-22 at intermission. 

Out of halftime Highland took control of the game with a dominating 25-7 third quarter against Moberly Area and with that lead the Scotties sailed to their 49th straight regular season win claiming the 78-47 win. 

Highland defense held Moberly Area to just 27.1% shooting from the floor marking the sixth time this season the Scotties have held their opponents under 30% shooting. Scotties also forced 22 turnovers in the win, while offensively Tiana Gipson paced Highland with 15 points on 5-7 from three-point range. Stefania Chiziane added 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals in the win. 

On Wednesday Highland wrapped up their play at the MAC New Year's Classic playing the host Mineral Area Community College and had a battle on their hands. Mineral Area started the contest on a 4-0 run and would lead most of the first half but Highland led 12-11 at the end of the first quarter. To start the second quarter MAC put together another run snagging the lead until a Daisah Purnell drained a three-pointer to give the Scotties their first lead in the second stanza going up 21-20. That lead was short lived and by halftime Highland trailed 27-23. 

While the Scotties made advances in the second half against Mineral Area CC but MAC held Highland off and the Scotties struggled from the field and free throw line ultimately unable to overcome the deficit falling 69-60. The loss snaps a 49-game win streak in the regular season marking their first loss in the regular season since February 8th, 2017. 

Highland finished the game shooting just 34.3% from the floor and went 5-20 from the free throw line as a team, while Mineral Area CC shot 40% and went 23-36 from the charity stripe. In the loss Tuana Dinc tallied 20 points going 4-4 from three-point range and added six rebounds. Chiziane posted 13 points and five rebounds, while Janiya Davis tallied 13 points and seven rebounds. 

UP NEXT 
Scotties look to recover from their first loss of the season when they play at Ben Allen Fieldhouse for the first time in 2019 as they host McPherson College JV on Saturday, January 5th. Tipoff is set for 6:00pm.