UNICS beat MBA at home, increasing the gap from Zenit – 73:58 (18:8, 16:17, 17:16, 22:17).
Game progress
The game was extremely important for both teams. UNICS had a crisis with 3 loses in a row and risked to put Zenit ahead. MBA losing streak reached 7 games.
The first quarter was led by the hosts. UNICS 10-2 run immediately put the Moscow team in catching position. The Kazan team defense worked like clockwork, allowing MBA to score only 8 points in a quarter. In the second quarter, Velimir Perasovic team continued to build up the lead, but MBA gradually recovered from such start. Andrey Lopatin allowed MBA to return intoto the game – 22:17. And although UNICS continued to lead by 9 points at the hafltime, this difference was not so huge for the guests.
Key moment
UNICS defense did not allow Vasily Karasev team to get too close. For almost the entire third quarter, the Kazan teaam had a comfortable double-digit lead – 51:41 by the beginning of the fourth quarter. Daryl Macon and Nenad Dmitrijevic 4 three-pointers became fatal for the Moscow team. UNICS confidently got the 24th win of the season.
Key factor
UNICS managed to score only 1 thre-pointer in 3 quarters. Daryl Macon eventually became the hero of the game – as a result, he scored 4 threes out of 5.
Fact
MBA losing streak has already reached 8 gamea in a row. The Moscow team is still the only team that has not won a single game in the second stage.
Leaders
UNICS: Daryl Macon (20), Louis Labeyrie (19 + 6 rebounds), Vince Hunter (12 + 5 rebounds), Nenad Dmitrijevic (7 + 10 assists)
MBA: Andrey Lopatin (13)
Next games
UNICS: road game against Lokomotiv-Kuban on March 19
MBA: home game versus Pari Nizhny Novgorod on March 15
