nERD: 165.62

Thornwell is probably the frontrunner for Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Even if the Gamecocks do not win it all, there is a case to be made he should be the first player since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1983 to win the award despite not playing for the national champions. That’s how good his March has been.

The way Thornwell has been playing, it would be foolish to write off South Carolina. He has been stuffing the stat sheet since the first round, averaging 25.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game in the tournament. He is also shooting 42.3% on 6.5 three-point attempts per game, contributing to a 65.6% true shooting percentage.

Thornwell’s performance in the Round of 64 was one of the best this March as he scored 29 points on 19 shots with 11 rebounds, contributing to a massive nERD score of 60.86.

All he did was follow up that game with a 24-point outing in an upset win over Duke (18.41 nERD) and a pair of 40-plus nERD games in South Carolina’s next two wins. Against Baylor, he scored 24 points, and then he dropped 26 on Florida to take the Gamecocks to their first ever Final Four.