What looked like another potential down-to-the-wire finish for South Carolina turned into a runaway victory for Oklahoma, as the Sooners secured their first SEC win with an 82-62 victory on Saturday. The loss drops the Gamecocks to 0-5 in conference play, while Oklahoma improves to 14-4 (1-4).
The game featured seven ties and four lead changes, with neither team able to create significant separation for the first 34 minutes. South Carolina even captured their first lead of the night with 16:51 remaining when Morris Ugusuk converted a three-point play to put the Gamecocks up 39-36.
Ugusuk, coming off a career performance against Vanderbilt earlier in the week, continued his strong play with 15 points including multiple crucial three-pointers. Collin Murray-Boyles added another impressive performance with a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) before fouling out late in the contest.
The game's turning point came with about six minutes remaining. After staying within striking distance most of the night, South Carolina's fundamentals began to falter at the worst possible time. The Gamecocks missed critical free throws during Oklahoma's decisive run, including front ends of one-and-ones from both Arden Conyers and Zachary Davis. South Carolina finished just 11-of-21 from the charity stripe (52%), while Oklahoma converted 18-of-21 (86%).
Murray-Boyles' fifth foul with 5:07 remaining proved especially costly. The sophomore had been a force inside all night, but his departure coincided with Oklahoma's game-breaking 15-0 run. During that stretch, starting around the 7-minute mark, the Sooners expanded their lead from 59-54 to 72-54 in just under four minutes of game time, effectively putting the contest out of reach.
Turnovers once again plagued the Gamecocks, who committed 16 miscues leading to 19 Oklahoma points. The Sooners took full advantage of these opportunities, shooting a blistering 56% from the field for the game. Jalon Moore led all scorers with 22 points for Oklahoma, while freshman Jeremiah Fears added 16 points and nearly notched a double-double of his own with 9 rebounds.
The contrast in offensive efficiency proved stark in the final minutes. While Oklahoma scored almost at will during their decisive run, the Gamecocks went cold at the worst possible time, missing four straight field goals as the game slipped away. By the time Ugusuk finally broke the scoring drought with a three-pointer, Oklahoma had built an insurmountable 18-point advantage.
The loss continues a difficult stretch for South Carolina, who has now dropped their last three games after a promising non-conference campaign. The Gamecocks will return to Colonial Life Arena on Wednesday still searching for their first SEC victory of the season vs the #5 ranked Florida Gators.