PEMBROKE, N.C. – Shane Heyward and Kenney Funderburk each scored 19 points as Columbus State University defeated Young Harris College 74-65 in the semifinals of the Peach Belt Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Saturday (March 7) evening at the English E. Jones Center on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

The Cougars, the No. 2 seed out of the West Division, improved to 22-6 and they advanced to face the University of Montevallo in Sunday's (March 8) 4:30 p.m. championship game. As the No. 4 seed out of the West Division, Young Harris, which was making their first-ever appearance in the tournament, won eight of its final 10 games to finish the year at 13-14.

The first half was nip and tuck as neither team led by more than five points as the Cougars took a 35-31 at the half. Columbus State scored nine of the first 12 points in the opening three minutes of the second half to take a 44-34 lead on a Ty Harris three-pointer with 16:33 to play. Columbus State pushed its advantage out to 15 points (52-37) on a Brent Jackson layup with 13:14 remaining.

Young Harris got consecutive three-pointers from Isaiah Johnson, C.J. Wilson and Herdie Lawrence to trim the deficit to seven points (58-51) with 9:24 left, but that would be as close as they would get the remainder of the contest.

Johnson led the Mountain Lions with 17 points before fouling out, while Kevin Altidor added a double double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Lawrence tallied 13 points while Wilson tossed in 12 more. The game marked the final game for Johnson, Altidor and Lawrence in an YHC uniform.

DeAngelo Kirkland finished with 18 points and 20 rebounds for the Cougars while Heyward added 16 rebounds.