Despite a career-high 18 points from Morris Ugusuk and a late rally attempt, South Carolina fell to Indiana 87-71 on Saturday, dropping to 2-2 on the season.

The Gamecocks showed flashes of promise but ultimately couldn't overcome an early deficit against the Hoosiers, who were led by Myles Rice's 23 points and Oumar Ballo's dominant 13-rebound performance.

Ugusuk's breakout performance included 4-of-6 shooting from three-point range, providing much-needed perimeter scoring for a Gamecock offense that otherwise struggled, shooting just 38.1% from the field.

Nick Pringle (13 points, 11 rebounds) and Jamarii Thomas (13 points, 4 assists) joined Ugusuk in double figures, but South Carolina couldn't contain an efficient Indiana offense that shot 51% from the field and converted 27 of 33 free throw attempts.

The Gamecocks showed some resilience in the second half, cutting what had been an 18-point deficit down to just eight briefly on Thomas's fast-break layup with 1:19 remaining to make it 79-71. However, Indiana closed the game on an 8-0 run, with the Hoosiers' perfect free-throw shooting in the final minute sealing the victory.

Myles Stute added 11 points for South Carolina but struggled from the field, going 4-of-14 overall and 3-of-11 from beyond the arc. The Gamecocks' defense forced 12 Indiana turnovers but couldn't capitalize consistently, scoring just 9 points off those opportunities.

Indiana's size proved problematic throughout the night, with the Hoosiers blocking 7 shots and limiting South Carolina's effectiveness in the paint. Ballo was particularly impactful, registering 3 blocks to go along with his game-high rebounding total.

The loss marks South Carolina's second of the season as they prepare to continue their non-conference schedule on Thursday at 7 EST vs. Mercer.