COLUMBIA, S.C. – Sophomore Max Klesmit poured in a game-high and career-high 27 points to lead four Terriers in double figures on Tuesday night, though, the Gamecocks (4-1) shot an efficient 59.6 percent from the floor and used timely runs in the second half to drop the Terriers at Colonial Life Arena, 85-74. The loss moves Wofford to 4-2 overall on the season.
 
"For probably a good eight-minute stretch there in the first half, I thought we really committed to the game plan," said head coach Jay McAuley. "Stretched it out to an eight-point lead but, as you guys know, it's a 40-minute game. Thought the rest of the time, they imposed their will and their game plan and we kind of got away from it."
 
"In crucial segments, felt like we were just pressed and trying a little too hard to make the home run plays instead of embracing pressure, letting them get all jumpy, play off two feet, do what we do and knock those shots down. And as those shots continued to not go down, the rim got a little smaller and that affected our connectivity on the defensive end."
 
The Gamecocks finished the contest 31-of-62 (59.6%), including 54.5 percent from beyond the arc on 12-of-22 shots, while holding Wofford to 38.6 percent from the field for the contest (22-of-57).
 
"Hats off to South Carolina. I've got a lot of respect for Coach [Frank] Martin and their staff. It's relentless pressure and maybe things our guys have got to do a better job of getting used to that and stepping up there with confidence," added McAuley. "Their defense had a lot to do with that … they're sending waves and waves of guys in and we're battling foul trouble all night. We've got to do a better job of not being in that position, so hats off to them and we'll be much better moving forward. It's a learning process."
 
Klesmit led all scorers on 8-of-10 shooting, including drilling a career-high 5-of-7 from beyond the arc and finishing a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. Klesmit additionally recorded four steals on the night.
 
Junior guard Isaiah Bigelow recorded a season-high 13 points, hitting two threes and 5-of-6 at the line, and team-high seven rebounds, while Morgan Safford chipped in 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting from 3-point range in 31 minutes off the bench. Senior Ryan Larson rounds out Wofford's double-figure scorers with 10 points and a game-high six assists.
 
Junior forward B.J. Mack finished with nine points and three rebounds, as freshman Austin Patterson registered four points and two rebounds.
 
Wofford hit 34.3 percent of its looks from deep range on the night (12-of-35), while finishing 18-for-23 from the charity stripe (78.3%).
 
South Carolina was led by Erik Stevenson with 25 points on 5-of-7 shots from deep, followed by James Reese V (15) and Jermaine Cousinard (14).
 
The Terriers used a 9-0 run to open with a 9-5 lead through the opening four minutes prior to Stevenson scoring 10 of USC's opening 14 points to hold a 14-12 edge. Larson then fed Isaiah Bigelow for a 3-pointer, sparking a 12-2 Wofford run that boosted a 24-16 lead by the 12-minute media timeout.
 
During the run, Klesmit would follow up Bigelow's make with a three of his own prior to Bigelow cashing his second three of the half to produce a seven-point lead, 21-14. Klesmit would then get fouled on a 3-point attempt, converting at the line to hold the eight-point lead by 12:00 mark.
 
The Gamecocks swiftly erased the margin with an 8-0 run, paced by five points from Stevenson, to knot the score up, 24-24, as layups from B.J. Mack, Klesmit and a Ryan Larson three reclaimed the edge, 32-30, with 4:56 remaining in the half. The margin would be deadlocked twice more before South Carolina scored eight of the final 10 points of the half to hold the 42-38 advantage at the intermission.
 
The Terriers connected on 6-of-17 from 3-point range (35.3%) and forced 10 South Carolina turnovers through the opening 20 minutes, though, USC shot 56.7 percent from the floor (17-of-30), paced by Erik Stevenson's 18 first-half points.
 
The Gamecocks built up a 12-point lead to open the second half, 50-38, prior to the Terriers erupting for a 12-0 run to knot things up at 50-50 by the 14:45 mark. Klesmit tallied Wofford's first seven points of the half, burying back-to-back 3-pointers before adding a free throw to reel the margin in to five, 50-45, as Bigelow would convert a pair of free throws at the line to bring the game within one possession (50-47). Sam Godwin would then record a steal on the defensive end that set up Ryan Larson in finding Morgan Safford for the equalizer on a three-ball to knot the spread at 50-all.
 
South Carolina would however answer with a 10-0 run of their own to hold a 60-50 cushion, as both teams would exchange baskets before Bigelow free throws and a Klesmit floater brought a 65-58 spread by the under-8 media timeout.
 
The Gamecocks started to find their rhythm coming out of the break, pushing their largest lead of the night, 74-60, by the 5:10 mark, though, a B.J. Mack 3-pointer and Larson layup brought the score within single digits at 76-67 with 3:39 left. Klesmit would drill his fifth three of the night to come the closest the Terriers would within the final two minutes at 78-70, as the Terriers looked to use a run and jump press for a late rally, though, late fouls would ensue to allow South Carolina to ultimately handle the remainder of the contest at the free-throw line to walk away with the 85-74 win at the buzzer.
 
The Gamecocks finished the contest with the advantage in rebounds (30-24), points inside the paint (20-18) and points off turnovers (22-16).
 
Wofford (4-2) concludes its two-game SEC road swing when it travels to Athens, Ga., to face Georgia on Sunday, Nov. 28. Tip-off is slated for a 4 p.m. start on SEC Network+.