COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Te'a Cooper scored 24 points, including 16 in the second half when the Gamecocks overcame a nine-point halftime deficit, and No. 23 South Carolina defeated No. 21 Texas A&M 60-57 in a SEC opener on Thursday night.

Mikiah Herbert Harrigan had 11 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks for the Gamecocks (9-4), who won their fifth straight and picked up their first victory over a ranked team this season after three losses to top-10 teams.

Herbert Harrigan and Cooper scored and Destanni Henderson added a 3-pointer for seven straight points and a 56-53 lead with five minutes left. The Aggies got within a point twice after that, the final time with eight seconds left on two Chennedy Carter free throws, but Cooper made two at the other end with 6.3 seconds left and a Carter 3-point try was way off.

Cooper scored 12 points in the third quarter and the Gamecocks finished the period with a one-point edge.

Carter scored 19 points and Ciera Johnson had 17 rebounds with 13 points for the Aggies, who shot just 26 percent.