In the first game as a NCAA Division I program, the Lindenwood basketball team lost to No. 24 Dayton on Monday by a final score of 73-46 in Dayton, Ohio
 
GAME OVERVIEW
The Lions fell behind 8-0 before Keenon Cole scored the first bucket of the season on a layup.  Kevin Caldwell Jr. hit a three pointer at the 16:26 mark to cut the deficit to five points.  The Flyers took a double-digit lead near the halfway point of the first half, and ended the first 20 minutes with a 35-21 advantage.  The Lions held their own in the paint in the opening half, but the Flyers shot 48 percent from the field.
 
In the early stage of the second frame, Chris Childs took the ball to the bucket for the layup and the free throw to make it a 35-26 ballgame.  Dayton picked up the pace and played solid defensively to take the first game of the season.  Childs led the Lions in scoring with 15 points, as he and Caldwell Jr. each had a pair of three-point buckets in the game.  Cole collected 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor.
 
QUOTABLE
"The score won't show it, but we showed a really good defensive effort and commitment for a long time against a really good team," said head coach Kyle Gerdeman.  "It was pleasing to see that toughness, especially on a night where it was hard to score."
 
GAME LEADERS
Chris Childs (15 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST)
Keenon Cole (10 PTS, 3 REB)
Kevin Caldwell Jr. (8 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST)
 
UP NEXT
The Lions will host Hannibal-LaGrange for the home opener on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. inside Hyland Arena in St. Charles, Mo.