"Before we break it, give your Player of the Year some love," said South Carolina head coach Frank Martin at the conclusion of a team workout, surprising Sindarius Thornwell and his teammates with the news that the senior had been named SEC Player of the Year.
Thornwell accounted for 30.2 percent of the Gamecocks' total scoring this season, and finished second in the SEC in points, sixth in rebounds and first in steals on a per game rate.
The first player in program history to earn the league's top individual honor, Thornwell was also named to the All-SEC First Team and earned All-Defensive Team recognition.
After A'ja Wilson was also named SEC Player of the Year, South Carolina became just the fourth SEC school to be represented by the men's and women's POY in the same season, and the first since Kentucky in 2012.
Thornwell and the South Carolina Gamecocks will look to cement their invitation to the NCAA Tournament with a strong showing in their conference tournament this week. The Gamecocks finished No. 4 in the regular season standings with a 12-6 SEC record that helped them earn a double-bye, giving them the opportunity to play either Alabama, LSU or Mississippi State in the quarterfinals on Friday.