If you make ESPN's Two-Minute Drill game show and choose college basketball as your subject of expertise, know this: The Kentucky team with the most NCAA championships resides in Owensboro.

Those who would claim Lexington, the home of Division I University of Kentucky, were correct until March 24 when the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers defeated Washburn, 72-63, in the Division II Men's Basketball Championship game. With the victory, Kentucky Wesleyan increased its trophy take to eight. Not only does that number surpass the collection of its better-known neighbor, it moves the Panthers into second place among all NCAA schools. UCLA, with 11 Division I basketball championships, is first.

Sounding like a grammar teacher before the game, Kentucky Wesleyan coach Ray Harper, who has led the Panthers to the last two championships, implored his team to shun the passive before the final game tipped off at Cal State Bakersfield's Centennial Garden.

"One of the last things I said to the kids coming out of the locker room before the game is that we want to be the aggressor, not be passive," he said. "Let's attack. And I thought that's what we did in the first half (in building a 48-32 lead)."

Washburn, which finished 29-5, regrouped after halftime, scoring the first seven points and shaving the Panthers' lead in half after the first 4:15 of the second stanza. The Ichabods got as close as three points at 63-60 with 4:44 remaining, but scored only three points thereafter on a Melvin Ware trey. The Panthers made six of eight free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

"(Kentucky Wesleyan has) been here before, and they did a very good job in the first half," said Washburn coach Bob Chapman. "Then our guys came back like we knew they would."

QUARTERFINALS

Ky. Wesleyan 85, Southwest St. 66; Washburn 70, Johnson Smith 64; Tampa 82, Adelphi 68; Western Wash. 89, Queens (N.C.) 85.

SEMIFINALS

Ky. Wesleyan 85, Tampa 84 (ot)

Tampa: James Mereus 3-6, 7-8, 6, 13; Gecarri Freeman 4-10, 1-2, 4, 10; Sylvere Bryan 8-10, 3-6, 14, 23; Chuckie Powell 0-1, 2-2, 1, 2; Jon Brown 5-10, 3-8, 2, 13; Leonard Kelly 2-4, 3-4, 3, 9; Jon Norris 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Earnest Williams 1-2, 1-1, 1, 3; Joe Jackson 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Peter Howard 1-5, 1-2, 3, 4; Elijah Piazza 3-9, 1-1, 2, 7. TOTALS: 27-57, 22-34, 43 (6 team), 84.

Ky. Wesleyan: Lorico Duncan 7-17, 7-10, 4, 22; Chris Thomas 0-2, 0-0, 2, 0; Marshall Sanders 3-6, 7-8, 6, 13; Anwar Perry 2-3, 3-4, 3, 7; Chris Landry 7-12, 3-6, 3, 18; Gino Bartolone 2-4, 2-4, 2, 7; Thad Key 2-5, 4-5, 5, 8; Ronald Evans 3-14, 2-2, 5, 10. TOTALS: 26-63, 28-39, 33 (3 team), 85.

Halftime: Ky. Wesleyan 35, Tampa 29. End of regulation: Tied at 75. Three-point field goals: Tampa 8-15 (Freeman 1-3, Bryan 4-4, Kelly 2-3, Howard 1-5); Ky. Wesleyan 5-15 (Duncan 1-4, Landry 1-3, Bartolone 1-2, Key 0-1, Evans 2-5). Disqualifications: Mereus, Bryan, Brown, Piazza, Thomas, Sanders. Officials: Deron White, Jim Bannowsky, J.B. Caldwell. Attendance: 2,927.

Washburn 96, Western Wash. 90

Western Wash.: Ryan Kettman 2-9, 0-0, 7, 4; A.J. Giesa 7-11, 6-6, 6, 21; Mike Palm 5-10, 11-13, 12, 21; Jacob Stevenson 8-15, 8-11, 6, 24; Shelton Diggs 3-9, 1-1, 4, 10; Jason Burrell 2-7, 1-2, 3, 7; Stefan Dickinson 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Nehemiah Campbell 0-2, 1-4, 1, 1; Chris Stevens 1-1, 0-0, 0, 2. TOTALS: 28-64, 28-37, 41 (2 team), 90.

Halftime: Washburn 47, Western Wash. 35. Three-point field goals: Washburn 6-19 (Carter 2-4, Kruger 2-7, Tomlins 0-1, Walker 0-2, Miller 2-4, Murphy 0-1). Disqualifications: Carter, Williams, Murphy, Giesa. Officials: Mike Foote, Lamont Simpson, Tim O'Brien. Attendance: 2,564.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Ky. Wesleyan 72, Washburn 63

Washburn: Randolph Williams 8-17, 2-4, 5, 19; Eric Carter 3-13, 0-0, 6, 7; Ewan Auguste 5-15, 4-4, 8, 14; B.J. Ross 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Shannon Kruger 3-5, 0-0, 4, 7; Ryan Tomlins 1-3, 0-0, 0, 3; Matt Tinsley 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; Troy Douglas 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0; Matt Hundley 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; D.J. Walker 0-1, 0-0, 1, 0; Jay Miller 1-9, 0-0, 1, 3; Melvin Ware 1-1, 0-0, 0, 3; Ryan Murphy 3-11, 1-2, 10, 7. TOTALS: 25-76, 7-10, 47 (11 team), 63.

Halftime: Ky. Wesleyan 48, Washburn 32. Three-point field goals: Washburn 6-23 (Williams 1-4, Carter 1-6, Kruger 1-2, Tomlins 1-3, Tinsley 0-1, Walker 0-1, Miller 1-4, Ware 1-1, Murphy 0-1); Ky. Wesleyan 6-18 (Perry 0-1, Landry 0-2, Duncan 1-5, Bartolone 5-8, Evans 0-2). Disqualifications: Williams, Auguste. Officials: Deron White, Jim Bannowsky, Lamont Simpson. Attendance: 3,025.