Lokomotiv Kuban defeated MBA-MAI on the road – 93:85 (23:37, 27:17, 18:22, 17:17).
Game progress
The game started with Andrey Martiuk made shot, then 5 points in a row by Evgeny Minchenko. In the first 4 minutes the game was equal, but then the guests made a 9:0 run, which helped to take an 11-point lead after 6 minutes of the game. As a result, the Krasnodar led after the first quarter – 37:23.
MBA-MAI started the second quarter with an 11-0 run, and former Loko forward Andrey Zubkov helped with 11 points and 4 rebounds by halftime. Patrick Miller looked great – 8 points and 5 assists after 2 quarters. The guests had 4-point lead after the first half – 54:50.
Key moment
The third quarter became the key. After the halftime, the guests were even more active both in defense and offense, which helped to maintain a comfortable lead and but even increase it before the fourth quarter – 76:68.
The Moscow team fought back, but in the end Lokomotiv Kuban finally dashed MBA-MAI hopes for the first win of the season.
X-factor
31 fouls stopped MBA-MAI from beating Loko (24 fouls). This number of fouls became the season-worst.
Facts
Loko repeated the best start in the team history. In the 2014/15 season the Krasnodar team also started with 3 wins.
This game became the toughest in the VTB League season – 55 fouls by the 2 teams combined.
Lokomotiv Kuban scored 37 points in the first quarter, which became a season-high.
Andrey Zubkov made 9 rebounds tonight, surpassing Evgeny Valiev (938) and moving into 6th place VTB League all-time rebound list (943). Mareks Mejeris is at 5th place with 946 rebounds.
Kirill Elatontsev made his first three-pointer in the first quarter of the VTB League.
Leaders
MBA-MAI: Andrey Zubkov (19 + 9 rebounds), Evgeny Voronov (15), Vladislav Trushkin (14), Daniil Pevnev (12).
Lokomotiv Kuban: B.J. Johnson (14), Karvel Anderson (13), Patrick Miller (12 + 6 assists + 5 rebounds), Isaiah Whaley (12 + 9 rebounds), Kirill Elatontsev (11).
What’s next
MBA-MAI: October 2 at home versus Samara
Lokomotiv Kuban: October 2 on the road against Avtodor.