Thornwell finalist for national award

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From USC:

BOSTON - South Carolina guard Sindarius Thornwell has been named as a finalist for the 2014 Kyle Macy National Freshman of the Year Award.

The 25 finalists for the award comprise the 2013-14 Kyle Macy Freshmen All-America team. Finalists include Deandre Bembry (St. Joseph's), Myles Davis (Xavier), James Daniel (Howard), Rodney Elliott (UMBC), Joel Embiid (Kansas), Tyler Ennis (Syracuse), Shannon Evans (Buffalo), Kahlil Felder (Oakland), Aaron Gordon (Arizona), Khallid Hart (Marist), Vincent Hunter (UTEP), Rysheed Jordan (St. John's), Tim Kempton (Lehigh), E.C. Matthews (Rhode Island), Jordan Mickey (LSU), Jabari Parker (Duke), London Perrantes (Virginia), Cameron Payne (Murray State), Bobby Portis (Arkansas), Julius Randle (Kentucky), Jonathan Starks (Tulane), Sindarius Thornwell (South Carolina), Noah Vonleh (Indiana), Paul Watson (Fresno), Andrew Wiggins (Kansas) and Marquis Wright (Siena).

The native of Lancaster, S.C., averaged 13.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game this season while being the only Gamecock to start all 34 games. He accounted for nearly 30 percent of Carolina's scoring this season. In SEC play, he led all freshmen in scoring (15.6) and assists (4.0).

Thornwell broke the South Carolina freshman record for most 20-point games in SEC play with six, passing Gamecock great BJ McKie.

A SEC All-Freshman Team selection, he was a three-time SEC Freshman of the Week honoree and was named the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week for the week of Feb. 18 after leading the Gamecocks to a one-point win over Alabama in which he scored or assisted on 15 of the team's final 17 points.

The Kyle Macy award is presented annually to the top freshman in Division I college basketball. The 1975 Indiana "Mr. Basketball" played his freshman season at Purdue University. Macy averaged 13.8 points a game as a freshman, while leading the Boilermakers in free throws, shooting .859 percent from the line on the season. He started in 25 of 27 games, helping them to a 16-11 season record.

After playing his freshman year at Purdue, Macy transferred to the University of Kentucky in 1976. He started every game for the Wildcats in 1977. A three-time All-America and three-time All-SEC player, Macy was a member of Kentucky's 1978 National Championship team. In his senior year of 1979-80, he became the first Kentucky player ever to be named consensus Southeastern Conference Player of the Year.

The winner of the 2014 Macy award will be announced at the CollegeInsider.com Awards Banquet on April 4 in Dallas, site of the Division I Men's Basketball Championship.

2014 KYLE MACY FRESHMEN ALL-AMERICA TEAM

DeAndre Bembry 6-6 Saint Joseph's

Myles Davis 6-2 Xavier

James Daniel 5-11 Howard

Rodney Elliott 6-0 UMBC

Joel Embiid 7-0 Kansas

Tyler Ennis 6-2 Syracuse

Shannon Evans 6-1 Buffalo

Kahlil Felder 5-9 Oakland

Aaron Gordon 6-9 Arizona

Khallid Hart 6-2 Marist

Vince Hunter 6-8 UTEP

Rysheed Jordan 6-4 St. John's

Tim Kempton 6-10 Lehigh

E.C. Matthews 6-5 Rhode Island

Jordan Mickey 6-8 LSU

Jabari Parker 6-8 Duke

London Perrantes 6-2 Virginia

Cameron Payne 6-2 Murray State

Bobby Portis 6-10 Arkansas

Julius Randle 6-9 Kentucky

Sindarius Thornwell 6-5 South Carolina

Noah Vonleh 6-10 Indiana

Paul Watson 6-7 Fresno State

Andrew Wiggins 6-8 Kansas

Marquis Wright 6-0 Siena

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