Olympiacos stops CSKA's winning streak

Olympiacos Piraeus sent a message that echoed all around the competition by downing previously undefeated CSKA Moscow 84-76 at home in Group F on Thursday. The two teams are now tied for first place in Group F with 5-1 records as CSKA's 15-game winning streak in the competition came to an end. Vassilis Spanoulis led the winners with 19 points. Matt Lojeski added 13, Othello Hunter scored 12 and Georgios Printezis 10, while Bryant Dunston pulled down 11 rebounds for Olympiacos. Milos Teodosic led CSKA with 20 points. Nando De Colo added 13, Kyle Hines had 12 and Vitaly Fridzon 10 for the guests. Teodosic and Hines shined early to give CSKA an 11-17 lead after 10 minutes. Olympiacos found answers on offense through Hunter and Printezis, who helped the Reds move in front 25-22. Three-pointers by Printezis, Oliver Lafayette, Vangelis Mantzaris and Spanoulis boosted Olympiacos's lead to 43-37 at halftime. Hines tried to change things for CSKA, but Spanoulis and a red-hot Lojeski made it a double-digit game, 64-53, at the end of the third quarter. De Colo and Teodosic brought CSKA within 69-66, but free throws by Kostas Sloukas, Lojeski and Spanoulis allowed Olympiacos to keep the lead until the final buzzer. Hines, who helped Olympiacos win back-to-back Euroleague titles, was honored in a brief pre-game ceremony.

First quarter: Teodosic, Hines puts CSKA ahead

Nando De Colo got CSKA going with a coast-to-coast layup, as the guests held Olympiacos scoreless for more than two minutes. CSKA started Manuchar Markoishvili for the second time this season to guard Vassilis Spanoulis. Tremmell Darden dunked, but Sasha Kaun answered with a put-back and a close basket by Markoishvili gave CSKA a 2-6 lead. Vitaly Fridzon fired in a catch-and-shoot jumper, but a layup by Vangelis Mantzaris kept the Reds within 4-8. Spanoulis took over with a fast break layup only to see Milos Teodosic do better with a stop-and-pop three-pointer. Kyle Hines made free throws and answered to Georgios Printezis's layup-plus-foul with a two-handed slam, which gave CSKA a 9-15 margin. Othello Hunter scored down low, but Teodosic erased that with a five-meter jumper off the dribble for an 11-17 lead after 10 minutes.

Second quarter: Olympiacos takes over

Kostas Sloukas nailed a three-pointer early in the quarter, but Aleksey Zozulin quickly answered with a driving layup. Hunter hit a running hook shot and soon added a layup to get Olympiacos within 18-19. Demetris Nichols struck from downtown, but Hunter ignited the crowd with a two-handed slam. A three-point play by Matt Lojeski completed the hosts' comeback at 23-22. Printezis sank his trademark hook shot, but Teodosic split free throws and buried a triple to put CSKA back ahead, 25-26. Printezis kept pacing Olympiacos with a triple and Oliver Lafeyette copied him right after that for a 31-26 lead. Printezis and De Colo traded free throws before a layup by Bryant Dunston made it a 7-point game, 35-28. De Colo scored again, but Dimitris Katsivelis dunked off a steal. Markoishvili kept CSKA within 38-32. Mantzaris, Markoishvili and Spanoulis all struck from downtown before a layup by De Colo fixed the halftime score at 43-37.

Third quarter: Lojeski makes the difference

CSKA improved its defense after the break, as Olympiacos could not score on a five-chance offense and committed a 24-second turnover. Hines banked in a fallaway shot. Mantzaris rescued Olympiacos with a driving basket. Spanoulis nailed a five-meter jumper to keep his team way ahead, 47-39. Teodosic tried to change things with a three-pointer, but Spanoulis quickly answered with an off-balance basket. Fridzon stepped up with a driving layup, but Lafayette answered from downtown for a 52-44 Olympiacos lead. Teodosic scored in transition, but Spanoulis swished a step-back jumper. A dunk by Hines kept the guests within 54-48. Andrey Vorontsevich split free throws, but Lojeski followed a triple with a layup to make it a double-digit game. Vorontsevich and De Colo did not miss from the foul line. Hunter hit a floating hook and a wild buzzer-beating three-pointer by Lojeski gave the Reds a 64-53 margin.

Fourth quarter: Olympiacos stops CSKA

De Colo scored off a steal early in the quarter, but Hunter matched it with a slam off a spin move. Hines banked in an off-balance layup and a turnaround jumper by Markoishvili gave CSKA hope at 66-59. Sloukas rescued Olympiacos with a three-pointer. Free throws by Fridzon kept his team within 69-61 with over six minutes left. Teodosic nailed another three-pointer, which caused CSKA to call timeout at 69-64. Fridzon kept pacing the guests with a fast break layup, but Sloukas and Lojeski sank free throws for a 73-66 Olympiacos edge. Vorontsevich buried a six-meter jumper, but Spanoulis drew a couple of fouls and went to the line for a 77-68 lead with over two minutes left. Teodosic struck from downtown and Hines dunked to keep CSKA alive, 77-73. Dunston split foul shots and Spanoulis sealed the outcome, 80-73, with 55.7 seconds left, allowing the Olympiacos fans to start celebrating a big home win.