COLUMBIA — Sindarius Thornwell would not let South Carolina’s winning streak end.
The junior scored seven straight points in the final minutes Saturday, completing USC’s comeback from an early deficit and securing the Gamecocks’ 15th consecutive victory to open the season, a 69-65 win over Vanderbilt at Colonial Life Arena.
The victory keeps South Carolina as one of two unbeatens in Division I men’s basketball. South Carolina is the only school with both its men’s and women’s teams still undefeated, and their combined 29-0 record is the best in SEC history.
The Gamecocks faced their largest deficit of the season in the game’s opening minutes when Vanderbilt raced out to an 8-0 lead.