Pre-game breakdown
Mikhail Kulagin underwent successful surgery on his left foot in GMS Clinic of Moscow. Now the player will go through long recovery.
Cory Higgins missed last 5 games due to foot injury, he remains questionable for the upcoming game.
Buducnost had three key changes since its sensational home victory against CSKA in November. Jasmin Repesa replaced Alexandar Djikic as the head coach. Experienced guard Norris Cole and forward James Bell as well as young center Goga Bitadze were added to the roster, Cole and Bitadze emerged as the team leaders in 6 recent games.
Pre-game quotes
Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:
We are going to play against different team in comparison to the one that we faced in the first leg. With a different coach and three additional players Buducnost plays better basketball, they are much more consistent in what they are doing. They have size and athleticism, experience and youth. I dare to say that if the season was starting now, Buducnost would be in chase of one of playoff spots. Cole gave them another dimension in the backcourt, Clark and Clarke are their points of emphasis on the block. They play with clear and concrete ideas on offense, they fight on defense using all athleticism that they have. So we expect another difficult EuroLeague game.
Semen Antonov, CSKA forward:
We are set to fight seriously, we are eager to return Buducnost our debt for the loss in the first game. They changed coach, they have new players and the team plays better. The memory about our previous meeting definitely adds to our motivation.
“Relativity” connections
Not found.
Important numbers
Coach Itoudis has used 11 different players in CSKA’s starting lineups this season; no player has started in every EuroLeague game.
Andrei Lopatin is the only player on the CSKA roster without previous EuroLeague experience.
Will Clyburn has scored at least 10 points in 15 of his last 16 EuroLeague appearances.
Clyburn has collected at least 1 steal in 13 consecutive EuroLeague games.
Will Clyburn is fourth in the league in average PIR with 19.5 per game this season.
Clyburn ranks second in the league in scoring with 14.7 points per game, and Cory Higgins is fifth with 14.67.
Clyburn ranks fourth in the league in rebounding this season with 7.1 per game.
Nando De Colo has made at least 1 three-pointer in eight of his last nine EuroLeague appearances.
De Colo has made 11 straight free throws in EuroLeague games.
Nando De Colo leads all qualified EuroLeague players in free throw accuracy this season with 94.6%
De Colo is the EuroLeague career leader in free throw accuracy at 93.76%.
Cory Higgins ranks second in the league in three-point accuracy this season at 53.7%.
Kyle Hines ranks fourth in EuroLeague history with 196 blocked shots. Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv big man Alex Tyus has moved into third with 198 and counting.
Hines is third in EuroLeague history with 477 offensive rebounds.
Hines is 11th in competition history with 1,081 rebounds. Mike Batiste is 10th with 1,117.
Sergio Rodriguez ranks fifth on the EuroLeague all-time charts with 1,027 assists for his career. Barcelona point guard Thomas Heurtel is fourth in competition history with 1,100 career assists and counting.
Nikita Kurbanov needs 2 more steals to reach 100 for his EuroLeague career.
Daniel Hackett needs 14 assists to reach 500 for his EuroLeague career.
Past matchups
Wins/losses: 2-1
2001-02 – Euroleague. Regular season. CSKA – Buducnost: 88-83 (+6)
2001-02 – Euroleague. Regular season. Buducnost – CSKA: 72-103 (+31)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Regular season. Buducnost – CSKA: 93-92 (-1)
Short dossier
Buducnost Voli Podgorica, Montenegro
Founded: 1949
Colors: blue, silver, white
Home court: Morača Sports Center (15.000)
President: Dragan Bokan
Head coach: Jasmin Repesa
Website: www.kkbuducnost.me
Trophy case: Adriatic League champion (2018), 9-time Montenegrin champion (2007-13, 2016-17), 11-time Montenegrin Cup winner (2007-12, 2014-18), 3-time Serbia and Montenegro champion (1999, 2000, 2001), 3-time Serbia and Montenegro Cup winner (1996, 98, 2001)
