National Basketball Association
South Carolina 65, Vanderbilt 59
When: 4:00 PM ET, Thursday, February 13, 2014
Where: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, South Carolina
Officials:
# Anthony Jordan, # Mike Nance, # Ted Valentine
Attendance:
9829
By SportsDirect Inc.
South Carolina 65, Vanderbilt 59: Sindarius Thornwell led the way with 19 points as the Gamecocks picked up a much-needed SEC victory over the visiting Commodores.
Thursday's game was rescheduled from the previous night due to a winter storm that engulfed the area. Both teams must now turn around and play again on Saturday, but at least the Gamecocks (9-15, 2-9) will enter that game with a bit of momentum.
Thornwell added six rebounds and six assists and Brenton Williams pitched in 14 points for South Carolina, which had lost three straight games and nine of its last 10. Vanderbilt (13-10, 5-6), which has dropped two in a row following a four-game winning streak, was led by Kyle Fuller (20 points) and Damian Jones (16 points, 10 rebounds, seven blocks).
The Gamecocks never trailed in the first half and snuck into the locker room with a 28-27 edge after Fuller made a layup right before the buzzer. The teams went back and forth over the early stages of the second half before South Carolina finally created separation with a 15-4 run midway through the stanza.
Thornwell and Williams each knocked down a 3-pointer during that key surge, which ended with South Carolina ahead 51-42 with just over nine minutes to play. Odom's 3-pointer drew the Commodores within 58-52 with about three minutes left, but Thornwell made four foul shots and a jumper to seal the win.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Jones led all players with 11 first-half points on 4-of-4 shooting and also registered four blocks in the opening half. ... It was not an impressive day for free-throw shooting as Vanderbilt was 14-of-23 while South Carolina went 13-of-21. ... Duane Notice chipped in 10 points for the Gamecocks, who dominated the glass, 45-31.
Top Game Performances
Vanderbilt |
|
South Carolina |
Kyle Fuller 20 |
Scoring |
Sindarius Thornwell 19 |
Kyle Fuller 3 |
Assists |
Sindarius Thornwell 6 |
Damian Jones 10 |
Rebounds |
Mindaugas Kacinas 7 |
Kyle Fuller 4 |
Free Throws Made |
Sindarius Thornwell 6 |
Kyle Fuller 2 |
Steals |
Michael Carrera 3 |
Damian Jones 7 |
Blocks |
Demetrius Henry 2 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Points |
FG% |
3PM-3PA |
FTM-FTA |
Assists |
Rebounds |
Blocks |
Steals |
Turnovers |
Vanderbilt
|
59 |
43.8 |
3-15 |
14-23 |
9 |
31 |
8 |
5 |
12 |
South Carolina
|
65 |
37.5 |
4-13 |
13-21 |
11 |
38 |
6 |
8 |
11 |