Despite a team season-high scoring outing by sophomore Marcus Hill, who netted 31 points and shot 7-of-12 from beyond the arc, the Rangers dropped their first game of the season, 83-76, to the Highland Park Scots on Tuesday evening at Walsh Gymnasium.

Hill closed out the contest 10-of-17 from the floor, additionally converting 4-of-5 free-throw attempts and pulling down four rebounds.  Classmate Michael Jankovich continued his strong momentum, recording 20 points, 10 of which came from the charity stripe.  Both the Rangers (2-1) and Scots (3-3) impressed offensively, evidenced by the Rangers' 40 percent team field goal percentage.

Senior Ben Kunasek secured a team-leading five rebounds while additionally recording a squad-high six assists, finishing with five points.  Juniors Dixon Smith and Mitch Prendergast added seven points each.  The difference in the contest developed from Highland Park's ability to score points in transition, notching 16 points off of Jesuit's eight turnovers while shooting 44.7 percent from the floor.

In front of a packed house filled to the brim with Ranger and Fighting Scots fans, the two squads dueled to a near-stalemate throughout the first 10 minutes.  Hill buried his first three-pointer of the night and was fouled in the process, converting the free throw to give the Rangers a 16-11 lead with 1:31 left in the opening quarter before burying his second three-pointer with two seconds remaining to spot the home squad a three-point advantage heading into the second.

Hill's third bucket from beyond the arc and a jumper by junior Jacob Palisch increased the lead to nine points before another three-pointer from the sophomore gave the squad a game-high, 11-point lead with 5:02 remaining in the first half.  Over the last 2:22 of the second quarter, Highland Park used free throw shooting to close the gap, sending Jesuit Dallas into the break leading, 44-39.

The Scots' rally began with 3:09 left in the third and with Jesuit Dallas holding a nine-point lead.  Highland Park would outscore the Rangers, 13-4, to close the third quarter, tying the game headed into the fourth after a layup with 11 seconds left in the third.  The Rangers took the lead back with 5:25 remaining in the fourth after a pair of Hill free throws, but a game-ending, 17-9 run would send the Scots back to .500 while handing the Rangers their first setback of the young 2015-16 campaign.

Jesuit Dallas will break for the Thanksgiving holiday and return next Thursday for the Knights of Columbus Dallas Classic.  The Rangers will take on Xavier at 7:30 p.m. in their first game of the annual tournament hosted at Walsh Gym.