“Unics is a team that competed in all games played in the EuroLeague so far and looked good despite the negative results,” CSKA head coach Dimitris Itoudis said. “They were up by 14 and dictated their rhythm against Barcelona before losing the game in the very end, they could win in Bamberg and lost on small details, the same can be said about the game against Darussafaka. They are missing two important players because of injuries, Ponkrashov and Clark, but they play with courage and clear ideas. Coach Pashutin is doing a good job and the team deserves a lot of respect. We have enough knowledge about their game, we even met Unics recently during the Gomelsky Cup. Definitely Colom and Langford are the core of the team, but they also receive big help from Antipov, Williams, Kaimakoglou, Parakhouski, Panin and others. We play after the trip to Istanbul, it is almost back-to-back games, so everybody’s contribution is essential. I hope our fans also realize this and they will come and support the team.”
Past matchups
Wins-losses: 70-17
CSKA biggest margin of victory: 102-54 (+48) (1997-98 Russian Championship. Quarterfinal)
UNICS biggest margin of victory: 113-77 (-36) (2000-01 Russian Superleague. Regular season. 2nd stage)
Short dossier
UNICS Kazan
Founded: 1991
Color: green, black, white
Home court: Basket Hall (7,500)
President: Evgeny Bogachev
Head coach: Evgeny Pashutin
Website: www.unics.ru
Trophy case:
- EuroCup winner (2011),
- FIBA Europe League winner (2004),
- 4-time Russian League runner-up (2001, 2002, 2004, 2007),
- 6-time Russian League bronze winner (2000, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011),
- NEBL champion (2003),
- 3-time Russian Cup winner (2003, 2009, 2014),
- 3-Russian Cup runner-up (2005, 2007, 2010),
- 3-time VTB United League runner-up (2010, 2012, 2016)
