COLLEGE BASKETBALL / POSTSEASON TOURNAMENTS : DIVISION II : Virginia Union Beats Cal State Bakersfield, 69-66

Led by Warren Peebles with 19 points, Virginia Union beat Cal State Bakersfield, 69-66, in the semifinals of the NCAA Division II basketball tournament Friday night.

Third-ranked Virginia Union (29-3) will play Bridgeport State (28-6) in today’s finals. Bridgeport beat California, Pa., 76-75, in Friday’s other semifinal.

Peebles hit a layup to give Virginia Union an 11-7 edge, then followed with three three-pointers, another layup and a free throw as the Panthers went on a 20-7 run.

The Roadrunners (26-7), behind, 35-25, at halftime, got their outside game with Kenny Warren and closed to 50-49 with 10 minutes left to play.

Virginia Union led, 66-63, with 35 seconds left when Bakersfield was assessed a technical foul for calling a timeout it didn’t have.

Walter Hurd hit one of the two free throws, and Peebles later added a free throw to extend the margin to 68-63.

Bakersfield’s Beau Redstone led all scorers with 22 points.