Washburn Wins NAIA Title, 79-77

Tom Meier scored 22 points and helped neutralize 7-footer Ron Moore, and Bobby Sumler added 18 points to power Washburn, Kan., past West Virginia State, 79-77, Tuesday night in the final of the NAIA Basketball Tournament.

Washburn, making its first NAIA appearance since 1938, was cheered on by a noisy contingent of several thousand fans who made the 65-mile drive from Topeka, Kan., to see their Ichabods (35-4) thwart a last-minute West Virginia State rally and win the title with a school-record 22nd straight victory.

Moore, the West Virginia State center who averaged nearly 30 points in four previous NAIA games, fouled out with 4:22 to play after scoring 18 points, just two in the second half.

West Virginia State (31-4) was led by Wayne Casey with 20 points.

In the third-place game, Ron vanderSchaaf scored 21 points to help lead Central Washington over Georgetown, Ky, 79-69.