South Carolina men’s basketball struggled once again in Southeastern Conference play, falling to Oklahoma 82-62 on the road Saturday. The Gamecocks’ fifth straight loss drops their record to 10-8 overall and 0-5 in the SEC.
The Sooners controlled the tempo early, leading for over 32 minutes and never trailing in the first half. However, South Carolina showed resilience, clawing back to force four lead changes and seven ties in the second half. Oklahoma snatched momentum back with an 11-2 run over a four-minute stretch, eventually extending the lead to 20 points.
Sophomores Morris Ugusuk and Collin Murray-Boyles led the way for USC, with Ugusuk scoring 15 points and Murray-Boyles notching a double-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and five steals. Senior Jacobi Wright had 10 points and five assists.
Despite a strong defensive effort from Murray-Boyles, which kept the Gamecocks close early, Oklahoma capitalized on South Carolina’s sloppiness, scoring 19 points off turnovers before halftime. The Sooners’ high shooting percentage in the first half (52%) proved costly for USC.
The loss marks another setback for the Gamecocks, who are now one of two SEC teams without an SEC win this season. With games against top-25 teams Florida and Georgia on the horizon, South Carolina will face significant challenges to turn their season around.
Next week, the Gamecocks will host No. 5 Florida at Colonial Life Arena before facing Mississippi State on January 25.
Source: https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-mens-basketball/article298768878.html