2006 Food Lion SAC Men’s Basketball Championship: Wingate Defeats Presbyterian, 60-51, to Claim Title

HICKORY, N.C. - Fourth-seeded Wingate University (18-12) defeated No. 2 Presbyterian (24-9), 61-50, in the championship game of the 2006 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament held this afternoon at the Catawba Valley Community College.

The Bulldogs, winners of seven straight, won their first league tournament championship in six years and earned a berth to the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the first time since the 2001-02 campaign. Presbyterian awaits to see if it has been selected to a spot in the playoffs.

Sophomore Sean Barnette (Rock Hill, S.C.) led all scorers with 21 points to go along with a game-high 14 rebounds, and was named the tournament's most valuable player, while junior Justin Baker (Lumberton, N.C.) added 14 points for Wingate.

Wingate limited Presbyterian to just 31 percent (18-of-65) shooting for the contest and blocked eight shots, including five by sophomore Bryan Grier (Charlotte, N.C.), who became the South Atlantic Conference's career blocked shot leader with five on Sunday, giving him 212 for his career.

The Wingate University men's basketball team celebrates its win over Presbyterian College in the 2006 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Men's Basketball Championship Tournament.

Senior Johann Collins (Raleigh, N.C.) was Presbyterian's top scorer and finished with a double-double (17 points and 12 rebounds) while junior Sean Dixon (Marietta, Ga.) chipped in with 13 points and junior Grant Herren (Oviedo, Fla.) pulled down a team-high 13 rebounds.

PC held a 51-36 advantage on the boards despite the loss.

Wingate led by six (30-24) at the break, shooting 71.4 percent (5-7) from the charity stripe and 44.4 percent (12-27) from the field. Barnette led the Bulldogs from the field with nine first-half points, going 3-4 from the free-throw line. Baker and sophomore Bryan Grier (Charlotte, N.C.) also tossed in six apiece for the Bulldogs in the first half. Collins led the Blue Hose with nine points. The Blue Hose won the first half battle of the boards, 26-15, and out-scored the Bulldogs in the paint, 22-18. Wingate led the entire first half with PC only able to tie the game once.

After the break, Wingate built a 42-32 lead with 11:01 remaining on a three-point play by Barnette but Presbyterian came back to cut the margin to two (46-44) on a pair of free throws by Collins at the 6:53 mark.

Wingate, who never trailed again in the game, responded with seven straight points culminated by a Barnette lay-up with 5:32 remaining and never trailed by four points the rest of the way.

The Bulldogs made their last six free throws in the final 26 seconds to seal the win.

Barnette earned Food Lion SAC Tournament MVP honors and he was joined on the all-tournament squad by teammate Grier as well as PC's Collins and Sean Dixon and Lenoir-Rhyne sophomore Josh Kindred (Holly Springs, N.C.).

Wingate coach Parker Laketa said the Bulldogs won with defense, a key to their late-season winning streak.

"That's why we were good during the tournament, we defended well," Laketa said. "I'm just glad we picked the end of the season to play our best basketball."
Wingate earned the SAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Division II Tournament.

"We knew we didn't have a chance to get an at-large bid," Laketa said. "But we also knew we could beat everybody here. Now that we've won it, we've got another opportunity."
Presbyterian coach Gregg Nibert credited Wingate's defense for disrupting the Blue Hose offense. Presbyterian missed all 18 3-point attempts.

"That absolutely shocks me," Nibert said. "There may have been only one or two that were bad shots. Youy think of Wingate as an offensive team, but they did a good job on us defensively."

WINGATE UNIVERSITY 61, PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE 50
WINGATE UNIVERSITY (18-12 overall) Barnette, Sean 7-19 6-7 21; Baker, Justin 5-14 2-2 14; Grier, Bryan 4-9 2-2 10; Smith, Bill 1-7 4-4 6; Kirkland, Shaun 1-3 1-3 3; Mangum, Ernest 1-1 0-0 3; Carlisle, Sam 1-2 0-1 2; Villines, Kenny 1-1 0-1 2; Powell, Fernando 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-56 15-20 61.
PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE (24-9 overall) Collins, Johann 6-16 5-5 17; Dixon, Sean 3-12 7-11 13; Versinskas, Martynas 4-8 1-2 9; Herren, Grant 2-6 0-0 4; Bostic, Bryan 1-4 0-0 2; Ferrell, Quinton 1-2 0-0 2; Sligh, Travis 1-3 0-0 2; Ballenger, Tray 0-9 1-2 1; Kiscaden, Pat 0-2 0-0 0; Biggs, Drew 0-3 0-1 0. Totals 18-65 14-21 50.

Wingate University............ 30 31 - 61

Presbyterian College.......... 24 26 - 50

3-point goals-Wingate University 4-14 (Baker, Justin 2-5; Mangum, Ernest 1-1; Barnette, Sean 1-4; Smith, Bill 0-4), Presbyterian College 0-18 (; Dixon, Sean 0-5; Bostic, Bryan 0-3; Ferrell, Quinton 0-1; Ballenger, Tray 0-6; Kiscaden, Pat 0-2; Biggs, Drew 0-1). Fouled out--Wingate University-None, Presbyterian College-Herren, Grant. Rebounds-Wingate University 38 (Barnette, Sean 14), Presbyterian College 56 (Herren, Grant 13). Assists-Wingate University 14 (Baker, Justin 4), Presbyterian College 4(Ballenger, Tray 1; Bostic, Bryan 1; Ferrell, Quinton 1; Herren, Grant 1). Total fouls-Wingate University 18, Presbyterian College 19. A-501
Wingate advances to the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional March 10-13; Food Lion SAC All-tourney: Josh Kindred (LR), Sean Dixon (PC), Johann Collins (PC), Bryan Grier (WU), Sean Barnette (MVP, WU)