Winona St. returns to Div. II final

John Smith had 22 points and Winona State earned a place in the NCAA Division II championship game for the third straight year, using a second-half surge for an 86-75 victory over previously unbeaten Bentley (Mass.) on Thursday night in Springfield, Mass.

It was the second straight year the Minnesota school ended Bentley’s unbeaten season in the round of eight.

Winona State will play Augusta State, a 56-50 semifinal winner over Alaska Anchorage, in Saturday’s championship game.

------

Davidson’s Board of Trustees is sending nearly 300 students to Detroit to watch their basketball team play Wisconsin in the Midwest Regional.

Trustees pledged Wednesday to pay for any student. Within a day, 275 students -- nearly 20% of the student body -- had signed up. Students are getting bus transportation, two nights’ lodging and a ticket.

------

Mississippi Valley State assistant George Ivory is taking over as coach at Arkansas Pine Bluff. . . . Bob Hoffman, who has been successful as a college and minor league professional coach, became coach at Mercer.