CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Josh Taylor scored 18 points and Eastern Kentucky held on to defeat Southeast Missouri 59-56 Thursday night.
Eastern Kentucky (18-8, 10-4 Ohio Valley) never trailed, but saw a 19-point lead dwindle to two points in the closing seconds. The Redhawks (7-18, 3-11) went on a 25-8 run but the Colonels held on with a late layup by Taylor and Papa Oppong's free throw with 13 seconds left.
Southeast Missouri missed a pair of 3-point shots in their attempt to tie the game.
Justin Stommes had 14 points and Josh Daniel added 12 for the Colonels.
Anthony Allison was the only Redhawk in double figures with 20 points. LaMont Russell had 10 rebounds for Southeast Missouri, which owned a 41-34 edge in rebounds.
Eastern Kentucky shot 50 percent in the first half in building a 36-23 lead, but cooled off to 31 percent in the second half.