RICHMOND, Ky.– Sage Tolbert recorded a double-double 19 points and 17 rebounds as Southeast Missouri (4-19, 0-10) played strong in a 70-57 loss to Eastern Kentucky (11-12, 8-2) Saturday afternoon at McBrayer Arena.
 
Tolbert reached his third double-double of the season and fourth in his career.
 
EKU, which is third in the Ohio Valley Conference standings, leads the conference in turnovers forced. The Colonels pressured SEMO into committing 13 in the game's opening 20 minutes. 
 
The Colonels, at one time, forced a turnover on five-straight possessions and converted those into 10 points to grab a 21-11 lead with 8:48 remaining in the first half.
 
After JacQuess Hobbs' jumper gave EKU another 10-point advantage (29-19), SEMO answered with a 12-2 run to tie the game. Jordan Love threw down a breakaway dunk off a pass from Sage Tolbert after he stole the ball and pitched it ahead. Love's dunk made it a 31-31 game with 25 seconds left.
 
Out of a EKU timeout, Ty Taylor's 3-pointer bounced around the rim several times before falling through the net to put the Colonels ahead, 34-31, at the intermission.
 
SEMO limited EKU to under 30 percent (28.6) from behind the 3-point line in the first half. The Colonels, who rank second in the league with over eight 3-pointers made per game, hit six of their first 21 attempts.
 
EKU was in the bonus with over eight minutes left to play in the second half and went to the free throw line after Isaiah Gable buried a 3-pointer to trim its lead to 56-51 with under seven minutes to go.
 
Jomaru Brown was fouled on the next possession and answered with two free throws. 
 
Love drove the lane and scored on a floater to again get the Redhawks within five (58-53) before EKU went on a 12-2 run to pull away for good.
 
Lachlan Anderson drained two 3-pointers and Brown added four points, making the jumper to put the Colonels ahead, 70-55, with 1:17 on the clock.
 
Tolbert shot 6-of-9 from the field and 7-of-10 at the free throw line. He had four offensive rebounds and 13 on the defensive end. Tolbert also had two assists, two steals and a block in 34 minutes.
 
Love followed with 12 points, his second-straight game scoring in double figures. Nygal Russell contributed 10 points, four rebounds and four assists off the bench.

SEMO did a much better job taking care of the ball in the second half, turning the ball over just five times. The Redhawks outrebounded EKU, 40-39.
 
Anderson led EKU with 20 points in 23 minutes off the bench. He made six of the Colonels 10 three-pointers for the game.
 
Brown scored 16 points, had five assists and collected five steals, while Taylor pitched in 13 points and had seven boards.
 
As a team, EKU finished with 13 steals.
 
SEMO returns to Cape Girardeau to host Jacksonville State on Feb. 6.