Pre-game breakdown
For the first time ever (this is the fourth quarterfinal clash for the team) the series is even at 1-1. Baskonia stole the home-court advantage, so CSKA has to take away victory.
After the couple of home games the Army Men had a day off and continued to work regularly.
Mikhail Kulagin remains out for the Army Men with foot injury. Juniors Andrei Lopatin and Alexander Khomenko also stayed in Moscow.
Pre-game quotes
Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:
We go to Vitoria to play better game than we had in Game 2 in Moscow.
Nikita Kurbanov, CSKA forward:
We know what to expect in means of basketball and atmosphere in the gym. We have the most important games of the season so far in front of us, and our goal is very clear.
Referees
Robert Lottermoser (Germany, crew chief), Fernando Rocha (Portugal), Gitis Vilius (Lithuania).
Close relations
Nando De Colo and Baskonia forward Toko Shengelia were teammates at Valencia Basket during the 2009-10 season and won the 2010 EuroCup title together.
Daniel Hackett and Baskonia sharpshooter Matt Janning were teammates at Montepaschi Siena during the 2012-13 season.
Important numbers
Head coach Dimitris Itoudis has used 12 different players in CSKA’s starting lineups this season; no player has started in every EuroLeague game.
Will Clyburn has recorded a performance index rating in double figures in 10 of his last 11 games.
Will Clyburn is fifth in the EuroLeague in average performance index rating with 17.9 per game this season. He is fourth in rebounding with 7.0 per game.
Cory Higgins ranks second in the league in scoring this season with 14.8 points per game. He has scored in double figures in 10 straight EuroLeague appearances.
Cory Higgins needs 17 more points to reach 1,500 for his EuroLeague career.
Higgins has posted a performance index rating in double figures in 11 of his last 12 appearances.
Higgins has made at least 1 three-pointer in 10 straight EuroLeague games.
Higgins is second in the league in three-point accuracy this season at 51.7%. Nikita Kurbanov is tied for third at 50.0%.
Cory Higgins has made 39 consecutive free throws in EuroLeague action.
Andrey Vorontsevich has made 13 straight free throws in EuroLeague games.
Nando De Colo ranks fourth in free-throw accuracy this season with 94.23%. De Colo is the EuroLeague career leader in free-throw accuracy at 93.74%.
Sergio Rodriguez is second in the playoffs in scoring this season with 16.5 points per game.
Rodriguez leads the playoffs this season with 9 three-pointers made. Rodriguez is 10th all-time with 371 three-point shots made; Retired Panathinaikos star Dimitris Diamantidis is ninth with 372.
Sergio Rodriguez ranks fifth all-time with 1,080 assists; Former CSKA great Milos Teodosic is fourth with 1,126.
Rodriguez needs 6 steals to reach 200 for his EuroLeague career.
Kyle Hines ranks fourth all-time with 206 blocked shots. Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv big man Alex Tyus is third with 209.
Hines has moved into second place in EuroLeague history with 500 offensive rebounds. Felipe Reyes is the all-time leader with 695.
Hines has moved into sole possession of ninth place in competition history with 1,130 total rebounds. David Andersen is eighth with 1,145.
Kyle Hines needs 2 more appearances to reach 250 games played.
Past matchups
Wins-losses: 28-9
2001-02 – Euroleague. Top 16: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 73-87 (+14)
2001-02 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 73-90 (-17)
2003-04 – Euroleague. Top 16: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 77-80 (+3)
2003-04 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 84-82 (+2)
2004-05 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 88-83 (+5)
2004-05 – Euroleague. Regular season: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 81-85 (+4)
2004-05 – Euroleague. Final Four. Semifinal: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 78-85 (-7)
2005-06 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 82-76 (+6)
2005-06 – Euroleague. Top 16: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 70-63 (-7)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Regular season: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 76-85 (+9)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 70-62 (+8)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Final Four. Semifinal: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 79-83 (+4)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Regular season: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 67-71 (+4)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 84-83 (+1)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 86-63 (+23)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 83-63 (+20)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 66-53 (-13)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 70-74 (+4)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 89-78 (+11)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 90-68 (+22)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 93-72 (-21)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 85-94 (+9)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – Laboral Kutxa: 99-90 (+9)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Top 16: Laboral Kutxa – CSKA: 74-81 (+7)
2015-16 – Euroleague. Top 16: Laboral Kutxa – CSKA: 81-71 (-10)
2015-16 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – Laboral Kutxa: 90-78 (+12)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Baskonia: 112-84 (+28)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Baskonia – CSKA: 79-78 (-1)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 98-90 (+8)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 84-82 (+2)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Baskonia – CSKA: 88-90 (+2)
2017-18 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Baskonia – CSKA: 81-90 (+9)
2017-18 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Baskonia: 93-86 (+7)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Baskonia – CSKA: 76-73 (-3)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Baskonia: 82-78 (+4)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 94-68 (+26)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 68-78 (-10)
Short dossier
Baskonia Vitoria, Spain
Founded: 1959
Colors: red, dark blue, white
Home arena: Fernando Buesa Arena (15,504)
President: Jose Antonio Querejeta
Head coach: Velimir Perasovic
Website: www.baskonia.com
Trophy case: 2-time Spanish champion (2002, 08); 5-time Copa del Rey winner (1995, 99, 2002, 04, 06); 4-time Spanish SuperCup winner (2005, 06, 07, 08); Saporta Cup winner (1996)
