Defense lifts Brescia over Oldenburg

Germani Brescia Leonessa protected its home floor once again by holding off EWE Baskets Oldenburg 70-67 on Wednesday in Group F. Brescia registered its second straight win and improved to 2-1 in the Top 16, while Oldenburg suffered its second consecutive loss and dropped to 1-2. On a night when neither team held a double-digit advantage at any point of the game, Oldenburg controlled things in the first half, leading by as much as 27-36, but Brescia rallied at the start of the third quarter behind Ken Horton and Tyler Cain. The hosts took the lead for good with a 10-2 run early in the fourth quarter, then held on as Oldenburg attempted a late comeback. Horton finished with 17 points for the winners. Awudu Abass added 12, Deandre Lansdowne and Luca Vitali scored 10 apiece, while Cain dominated inside with 8 points and 13 rebounds. Ricky Paulding had 18 points for the visitors. Tyler Larson scored 16, and Rasid Mahalbasic collected 13 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists in a losing effort.

Paulding and Lansdowne traded triples soon after tipoff, then Philipp Schwethelm and Abass copied them on the way to a 10-10 tie. Schwethelm converted a three-point play and Larson added 5 points as Oldenburg went ahead 16-20 after 10 minutes. Horton had a triple and Abass a long jumper to get the hosts within 23-24, but Braydon Hobbs hit back-to-back from downtown, then Mahalbasic fed Paulding and Larson for easy baskets at 27-36. Vitali knocked down a triple for the hosts, but Paulding and Larson made sure that Oldenburg took a 34-42 margin into halftime. Brescia quickly erased that deficit in the third quarter. David Moss and Horton nailed threes before Cain added a dunk and Horton a jumper to tie it at 46-46. Lansdowne hit a corner triple to cap a 9-0 run that put the hosts in front. Oldenburg did not score a field goal in the final 6 minutes of the third quarter, but did make 4 of 6 late free throws, making Mahalbasic's low-post basket to open the fourth good for new visitors' lead, 51-52. Vitali answered with a pair of mid-range jumpers, however, then Abass and Horton each downed a triple to push Brescia ahead again, 61-54. Larson sparked the visitors and Mahalbasic nailed a three-pointer, but Brescia scored second-chance baskets on three consecutive trips down the floor, including Vitali's triple and Horton's transition layup, to open a 68-60 lead with 2:39 to go. Oldenburg scored the next 6 points, including Larson's transition three-pointer to cut the difference to 68-66 with 14 seconds left. But Lansdowne made both free of his throws on ensuing possession and Brescia held on.

Second half D

Having entered the game allowing a EuroCup-low 70.8 points, Brescia stepped up on the defensive side of the floor by allowing just 25 points in the second half. In the final two quarters, Oldenburg shot just 7-for-18 on two-pointers and 2-for-9 on threes.

Rebounding night

Tyler Cain set Brescia club records by pulling down 13 total rebounds and 6 offensive rebounds. Brescia had 5 offensive boards in the first three quarters, in line with its competition-low average of 7.9, but then pulled down 8 in the final quarter, finishing with a season-high 13 offensive rebounds.

Not minding close wins

Brescia has now won six of its seven home games, including four in a row. All six wins have come by single digits, and none of the last four was by more than 7 points.

Next week

These two teams will be going against each other again in seven days when Oldenburg hosts Brescia in Round 4.