Pre-game breakdown
Pavel Korobkov (foot) stays out of action.
Pre-game quotes
Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:
We have another tough game in front of us. Unicaja is still active in its fight for a playoff spot. They are a good team; they have a decent combination of experienced and young players. We need concentration, dedication and motivation to play this game. This is how we approach the game.
Nikita Kurbanov, CSKA forward:
It is great that Unicaja is back to EuroLeague competition. They were always competitive, the games against Malaga team were always difficult and interesting. We are looking forward to play there again and we will try hard to take the win. We will be also glad to see our friend Jimmy Augustine who is having very good season with Unicaja so far.
“Relativity” connections
Carlos Suarez and Sergio Rodriguez were teammates at Estudiantes for the 2006-07 season and with Real Madrid for three seasons, from 2010 to 2013.
Dani Diez and Rodriguez were teammates at Real Madrid in the 2013-14 season.
James Augustine was with CSKA last season; he played under Coach Dimitris Itoudis and was a teammate of most of the CSKA current roster.
Augustine and CSKA guard Vitaly Fridzon were also teammates at Khimki Moscow Region for the 2013-13 season.
During the 2010-11 season, Augustine was a teammate of CSKA guard Nando De Colo at Valencia Basket.
Alan Makiev was a teammate of Unicaja forward Jeff Brooks at Avtodor Saratov during the 2015-16 campaign.
important numbers
Coach Dimitris Itoudis has used 11 different players in the CSKA starting lineup so far this season. No player has started every game.
Nando De Colo has scored in double figures in nine of his last 10 EuroLeague games.
Nando De Colo is ranked second among qualified EuroLeague players this season in average performance index rating with 20.6 per game, third in scoring with 16.8 points, fifth with 1.4 steals per game.
De Colo leads all qualified EuroLeague players in free-throw accuracy this season at 96.04%. He is the EuroLeague career leader in free throw accuracy at 93.80%.
Cory Higgins has scored in double figures in each of his last eight EuroLeague games.
Higgins has nabbed at least 1 steal in eight of his last nine EuroLeague appearances.
Higgins has recorded a performance index rating in double figures in nine consecutive EuroLeague games.
Nikita Kurbanov has made 17 consecutive free throws in EuroLeague games.
Will Clyburn has recorded a performance index rating of at least 12 in nine of his last 10 EuroLeague games.
Will Clyburn is fourth in the EuroLeague in rebounding with 6.1 rebounds per game.
Othello Hunter is fourth in the league in offensive rebounds with 2.7 per game.
Sergio Rodriguez is second in the EuroLeague this season with 2.8 three-pointers made per game.
Sergio Rodriguez is seventh on the all-time EuroLeague assists charts with 872. Next on the list is his former Real Madrid teammate Sergio Llull with 902.
Kyle Hines is fourth on the all-time EuroLeague charts with 434 offensive rebounds for his career. He needs 5 more to catch Ioannis Bourousis (439) for third place.
Hines needs 4 more rebounds to become the 13th player in competition history with 1,000 boards.
Victor Khryapa ranks 10th on the all-time EuroLeague charts with 1,067 career rebounds. Former Panathinaikos star Mike Batiste is in ninth place with 1,117.
Khryapa is ranked eighth on the all-time charts with 241 career steals. Khryapa’s former teammate J.R. Holden is seventh with 247.
Khryapa is seventh on the all-time charts with 161 blocks for his career. He needs 1 more to catch Mirza Begic, who has 162 in sixth place.
Past matchups
Wins-losses record: 21-5
Short dossier
Unicaja Malaga, Spain
Founded: 1977
Colors: white, green, lime
Home court: Palacio De Deportes Jose Martin Carpena (10.233 зрителя)
President: Eduardo Garcia Lopez
Head coach: Joan Plaza
Website: www.unicajabaloncesto.com
Trophy case: EuroCup winners (2017), Spanish champions (2006), Spanish Cup winners (2005), Korac Cup winners (2001)
