Pre-game breakdown
After the win against Real Madrid the coaches provided the players with the day off. So they had only one practice to get ready for the battle in Kazan – just before departure.
14 players boarded the Aeroflot charter flight. Mikhail Kulagin (foot surgery) and the junior Alexander Khomenko who actively helps the main team in its everyday work stayed in Moscow.
Word to the coach
Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:
UNICS is a very serious team that traditionally plays on the highest level. The guards are definitely the pistons of their offense, but they also have depth and athleticism on every position. UNICS is strong, they are successful recently, so physical readiness and energy become the key factors for us. For this kind of competition we lack time to prepare, but we will be ready, we will go for it.
Past matchups
Wins-losses: 76-17
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)
Games of VTB United League 2017-18 Regular Season:
10-Dec-2017. UNICS – CSKA: 75-88 (+7)
02-Apr-2018. CSKA – UNICS: 80-63 (+17)
Short dossier
UNICS Kazan
Founded: 1991
Color: green, black, white
Home court: Basket Hall (7,500)
President: Evgeny Bogachev
Head coach: Dimitrios Priftis
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)
