Kazan will host Game of the Week between UNICS and Lokomotiv Kuban on Saturday.
Place: Russia, Kazan, Basket Hall
Time: March 22, 2025, 14:00 (Moscow time)
Broadcast: Match TV, Start Triumph, League website
Rivalry
Last year’s regular season series ended 2-2. The opponents confidently took home games.
So far, UNICS has won 30 of 58 head-to-head games.
Motivation
UNICS (31-7) is at 3rd place, while Lokomotiv (27-10) is in 4th. The Kazan team continues to fight for lead in the regular season, while a success for the Krasnodar team would be the Top-3. A 4-game winning streak against the top rivals was followed by losses to Zenit and CSKA. To improve the place, the Krasnodar team need to break this trend and win in Kazan.
The first 2 games of the season between the opponents ended with Loko win: 78:71 on October 20 in Krasnodar and 87:75 on December 1 in Kazan.
Progress
Loko newcomer Tahjere McCall finally showed himself against CSKA. The guard scored 21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals with 27 eff. points in just 23 minutes.
In the previous 4 games, Tahjere only once had double-digit points. How will he prove himself in Kazan?
Duel
DeVaugn Akoon-Purcell vs. Antonius Cleveland.
Former Loko leader Akoon-Purcell will be playing his third game against his former team. In the previous 2 he was noticeable, but he didn’t shine: 13 and 14 points, 2 losses. Now the forward has finally fit into UNICS lineup and is in great shape. In the last 7 games, he got 19.8 points on average.
DeVaughn will be challenged by Cleveland. Antonius has quickly become one of the key players in Andrei Vedischev lineup and is now in great shape.
Shape
UNICS has won the last 4 games with an average difference 36 points.
March is not going so well for the Krasnodar team, as Andrei Vedischev team had 3 losses in 5 games.
Numbers
UNICS leads the season in assists (21.0 per game).
Lokomotiv Kuban leads in rebounds (38.7), steals (9.8) and blocks (4.8).
Patrick Miller is 3rd on the season in scoring (20.4 points per game).
The Krasnodar team ranks 1st in field-goal attempts (2,423) and free throws (966). At the same time, Loko has more three-pointers attempted (750).
