Senior forward Mindaugas Kacinas had 20 points and 11 rebounds as South Carolina defeated Western Carolina 76-53 Monday night at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C.

South Carolina (7-0) is one win shy of matching its program-best 8-0 start in 2003-04.

Gamecocks senior forward Michael Carrera scored 16 points, and junior guard Sindarius Thornwell added 10 points and eight boards.

Western Carolina (2-4) is winless in nine meetings with the Gamecocks.

Rhett Harrelson finished with 14 points, and fellow senior guard Mike Brown totaled 10 points, seven rebounds and four steals for the Catamounts, who stumbled to a 28.4 percent shooting night (19-for-67).

The Catamounts are 2-41 all-time against current Southeastern Conference teams. The Catamounts' last win vs. an SEC opponent came in 2013, a 62-59 decision against Arkansas.

Senior forward Justin Browning's jumper put Western Carolina up 20-15 with 8:53 left in the first half, but Carerra scored nine points during a 19-0 South Carolina run that made it 34-20.

The Gamecocks were up 37-28 at halftime and led by as many as 28 in the final period.