March 10, 2006
Byer’s Heroics Key Wingate Over Clayton State
RALEIGH – Kate Edwards was the unsung hero for Wingate Friday. On Saturday, the hero was Lakin Byer.

Lakin Byer scored two points but they decided the outcome between No. 2 seed Wingate and No. 3 seed Clayton State in the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional semifinals.

Byer hit two free throws with four seconds left after grabbing a key offensive rebound and then blocked the potential game-tying shot to give Wingate a 67-64 victory Saturday at Shaw University’s Spaulding Gym. Her heroics allowed the Lady Bulldogs (25-6 overall) to advance to Monday’s regional championship game for the right to advance to the Elite Eight at Hot Springs, Ark.

The ending capped a dramatic game between two evenly matched ballclubs. But Wingate executed down the stretch with the help of Byer and Anna Atkinson, who drilled a three-pointer with 15 seconds left to put Lady Bulldogs ahead 65-62. Shelcey Harp responded with two free throws to pull Clayton State (25-6) within one point and the Lady Lakers fouled Atkinson, who missed the free throw. But Byer grabbed the rebound away from a Clayton State player and was subsequently fouled. She made her only free throw attempts to push the Wingate lead to 67-64.

But Byer wasn’t finished. She blocked a shot at the three-point line to give Wingate the victory.

For the second straight night, a player came off the bench to boost the Lady Bulldogs. On Friday night, Kate Edwards scored 17 points to give Wingate a first-round victory over USC Upstate.

 “We preach that if you wear a uniform, your day will come to win a game for us,” Wingate coach Johnny Jacumin said.

Tanetra Barrett led the Lady Bulldogs with 19 points and she also pulled down eight rebounds. Atkinson added 12 points and Emily Paffrath almost recorded a double-double with 9 points and 10 rebounds. Sharon Wiles scored 20 points to lead four Clayton players in double figures. Patterson scored 16, Harp added 13 and Humphrey chipped in 12.