Box Score The Lindenwood men's basketball team started its 2011-12 season Friday night with a thrilling 82-77 overtime win over Union University at the McKendree Classic in Lebanon, Ill.

Lindenwood took the early lead 5-2 after Efkan Eren scored after an offensive rebound. Union answered with a 9-3 run to take the lead 11-8. The two teams traded the lead back-and-forth until the Tigers went on an 11-0 run to take a six-point advantage.

The six-point lead lasted all of two minutes, as Lindenwood went on a 10-0 run of its own, and led by four. Just like the whole first half went, Union tied the score with just over 90 seconds to play. As the first half came to an end, Alex Bazzell hit a three-pointer with just one second left on the clock to give the Lions a six-point cushion at the break. The opening half saw the teams trade the lead six times including five ties.

The first four minutes of the second half was dominated by Lindenwood. The Lions scored seven out of nine points and took their largest lead of the game at 11. Lindenwood held the lead for the whole second half until there was just 27 seconds left in the game.

With just over three minutes to play, the Lions led by six but Union chipped away at the lead. With 41 second to play in regulation the lead was down to just one. Bazzell was fouled and connected on both free throws to give Lindenwood a three-point lead.

But right back came the Tigers when Antoine Hall nailed a three-pointer to tie the score with 27 seconds left. Kramer Soderberg had a shot at the buzzer for the win, but came up short and the game headed into overtime tied at 66.

Union scored the first point of the overtime on a free throw, but that was the last lead the Tigers held. Lindenwood scored the next five points to lead by four. Union tied the score at 74 with just over 90 seconds to play, but from that point on the Lions took control of the game from the charity stripe.

Lindenwood closed the game going eight-for-eight from the free throw line, sealing the team's first victory of the season.

As a team, the Lions shot just 34 percent from the field and 33 percent from behind the three-point line. Union shot 39 percent from the field and just 62 percent from the free-throw line.

Soderberg led the way for Lindenwood scoring 23 points and dishing out five assists. Bazzell scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Cody Sorenson and Tyler Ressel each scored 10 points and Richie Thompson led the way on the boards with 12.

Up next for the Lions is a contest against Logan Chiropractic on Saturday night at 5 p.m. at McKendree.