UNICS defeated MBA-MAI at home – 92:80 (26:18, 21:14, 26:21, 19:27).
Game progress
The guests started the game very confidently – UNICS was still catched-up midway through the first quarter. However, Marcos Knight and three-pointers by Jalen Reynolds helped the Kazan team got the initiative. Early in the second quarter, DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell made the difference double-digit (28:18) with a spectacular dunk on a fastbreak. A quality defense and quick offensive transitions allowed UNICS to gain a comfortable lead by halftime – 47:32 .
Key moment
The Kazan team tried to seal the deal before the end in the second half. Knight, Akoon-Purcell and Reynolds continued to dominate the guests defense with a 23-point advantage.
The Kazan team slowed down the pace in the final quarter. But the most Vasily Karasev team could do at one point was to cut the deficit to 12 points. The Kazan team continued the home winning streak, which now stands at 9 games in a row, and are tied with Zenit for the most wins.
X-factor
UNICS ranks in the Top 4 teams in long-range shooting percentage and in the Top 2 in average assists. The Kazan team showed the best qualities again today: good court vision led the Kazan team to open shots, so the hosts made 11 of 17 three-point attempts (64.7%). UNICS had 25 assists.
Facts
UNICS has beaten MBA-MAI in all 4 head-to-head games this season. And today’s game is the only one where the Kazan team failed to gain an advantage of 20 or more points.
DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell scored his 1,500th point in the VTB League.
Evgeny Minchenko played his 150th game in the League.
Leaders
UNICS: Jalen Reynolds (21), Marcos Knight (21 + 5 rebounds + 5 assists), Aleksandr Platunov (8 + 5 rebounds).
MBA-MAI: Andrey Zubkov (14), Maksim Barashkov (13), Evgeny Minchenko (11 + 9 rebounds), Vladislav Trushkin (4 + 5 assists).
What’s next
UNICS: March 8 at home against PARMA
MBA-MAI: March 8 at home against Samara.
