Thornwell Named SEC Player Of The Week

Feb. 13, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior guard Sindarius Thornwell was named the SEC Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 36.0 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game last week versus Alabama and at Mississippi State. The weekly honor is the third Player of the Week award of his career, and the second this season. Thornwell was named SEC Freshman of the Week three times during his rookie campaign of 2013-14.

In the first outing of the week, a four-overtime thriller vs. Alabama, the SEC Player of the Year candidate scored a career-high 44 points, becoming the first Gamecock to score 40 or more in a game since Dec. 1986, and it was the most points scored by a Carolina player since Cedrick Hordges hit the same mark in Dec. 1979. Thornwell also pulled down a career-high 21 rebounds, which was the most by a Gamecock since Dec. 1993. His 25 free throws marked an SEC record for made free throws in a conference game, while his 25 makes and 33 attempts were new school records.

Thornwell followed the historic performance with another big outing, scoring 28 points to lead all scorers in the team’s road win at Mississippi State. The win gave Carolina its 20th of the season and 10th SEC victory. The win also marked Carolina’s fifth on the road in conference play this season, the most since the 1997 team went 7-1 on the road in league play. Thornwell began the game on fire, scoring Carolina’s first 10 points behind a pair of 3s and two layups. Thornwell would be solid throughout, matching a career-high with nine made field goals. He was 7-of-8 from the foul line as well in the game. He would score Carolina’s final seven points of the game to finish with 28, his 10th game this season with at least 20 points.

South Carolina continues SEC action when it hosts Arkansas on Wednesday at Colonial Life Arena. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. ET versus the Razorbacks.