CSKA defeated UNICS in Kazan – 79:66 (23:21, 18:9, 20:18, 18:18).

Game progress
Although before the game was a hope that UNICS had a serious frontcourt advantage, CSKA bigmen unpleasantly surprised. Tonye Jekiri – Amath M’Baye – Livio Jean-Charles trio dominated. CSKA won the first half in rebounds and scoring. While UNICS was able to hold the difference with Nenad Dimitrijevic and Dmitry Kulagin actions. CSKA blocked the Kazan team offense, and the hosts couldn’t compensate it with three-pointers, scoring only 9 points in the quarter. The absence Marcos Knight also had an impact. By halftime, the guests had a double-digit lead – 41:30.

The beginning of the second half didn’t inspire optimism among Kazan fans either. UNICS briefly got colser, but Emil Rajkovic team quickly stopped the hosts comeback and increased the lead to an almost hopeless 18 points.

Key moment
The hosts failed to change the game. In the middle of the final quarter, UNICS seemed to find CSKA weak side and was able to make a 9-2 run. But there was no time for Velimir Perasovic team to make a real clutch play. M’Baye and Melo Trimble restored CSKA double-digit lead, and then the Army team confidently got the win. The Kazan team remains the closest pursuer of the regular-season leader, but now 3 wins behind.

X-factor
The Army team’s rebounding advantage became decisive: CSKA outscored the hosts in second-chance points with offensive rebounds. Samson Ruzhentsev was the rebounding leader and his 8 rebounds became a career-high in the United League.

Fact
Tonight game was the least scoring game between rivals in the United League since November 2021, when UNICS beat CSKA at home 69:64.

Leaders
UNICS: Nenad Dimitrijevic (16 + 10 assists), Dmitry Kulagin (14), Eric Green (11 + 5 rebounds), Jalen Reynolds (8 + 6 rebounds), Louis Labeyrie (7 + 7 rebounds), Ismael Bako (6 + 5 rebounds).
CSKA: Amath M’Baye (17 + 6 rebounds), Tonye Jekiri (14 + 6 rebounds), Melo Trimble (13 + 6 assists), Livio Jean-Charles (12 + 5 rebounds), Ivan Ukhov (5 + 6 rebounds), Samson Ruzhentsev (4 + 8 rebounds).

What’s next
UNICS (8-3): Noember 26 at home versus MBA
CSKA (11-1): November 26 on the road against Pari Nizhny Novgorod.