2019-20Regular SeasonRound 18
FC Bayern Munich 77
CSKA Moscow 84
January 10, 2020 CET: 20:30
Local time: 20:30 AUDI DOME

CSKA fends off Bayern's comeback

CSKA Moscow bounced back from a tough home loss by downing FC Bayern Munich 77-84 on the road on Friday. CSKA improved to 12-6 in the standings while Bayern dropped to 7-11 with its fourth consecutive defeat. Mike James led the winners with 27 points. Darrun Hilliard added 20 and Kyle Hines 12 for CSKA. Greg Monroe led Bayern with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Vladimir Lucic and Josh Huestis each added 17 points and Petteri Koponen 12 for the hosts. Johannes Voigtmann, James and Semen Antonov combined for all points in a 0-8 run to a 10-18 CSKA lead after 10 minutes. Hilliard took over in the second quarter as the guests extended their margin to 25-41 at halftime. Huestis and Lucic emerged after the break to bring Bayern within 39-50 midway through the third quarter. They got help from Zan Sisko to get Bayern even closer, 52-59, after 30 minutes. Bayern cut the difference all the way to 69-70 with 3:30 left but Hines, James and Nikita Kurbanov made the difference in crunch time.

Hines got CSKA going with a fastbreak layup and Hilliard added a corner triple but Monroe kept Bayern within 4-5. Hines kept pacing the guests with a backdoor layup but Huestis sank consecutive jumpers to give his team its first lead, 8-7. Voigtmann and James each struck from downtown, igniting a 0-8 run that Antonov capped with a jumper for an 8-15 score. Nihad Dedovic stepped up with a driving layup that James bettered with his second triple, boosting CSKA's lead to 10-18 after 10 minutes. Hilliard buried back-to-back three-pointers and banked in a running shot to make it a 16-point game, 10-26, early in the second quarter. Huestis rescued Bayern with a layup, getting help from Monroe to bring Bayern a bit closer, 16-28. Antonov hit a mid-range jumper off a CSKA timeout but Koponen improved that with a triple. James found Andrey Vorontsevich for a layup and scored in penetration to keep CSKA way ahead, 19-34. Koponen insisted from beyond the arc but Hilliard found space for an uncontested layup and James added a high-flying three-point play and a floater for a 25-41 CSKA lead at halftime. James and Hines soon made it a 20-point game, 25-45, after the break. Lucic responded with a fastbreak layup and a three-point play, igniting an 8-0 Bayern run that Huestis capped with a bomb from downtown. The same players soon struck from beyond the arc to make CSKA call timeout at 39-50. Vorontsevich hit a triple but Bayern kept running its offense through Lucic and Huestis, who brought the hosts within single digits, 46-53. Ron Baker swished a step-back three-pointer but Huestis and Sisko kept Bayern as close as 52-59 after 30 minutes. Monroe followed a layup with a dunk and soon added a put-back basket to get Bayern within striking distance, 58-61, early in the final quarter. Kostas Koufos finished a three-chance CSKA offense with a layup and Joel Bolomboy dunked but Koponen and Paul Zipser each struck from downtown for a 64-65 score with under 6 minutes left. Hilliard found answers for CSKA with 5 quick points but Monroe and Lucic kept Bayern within 69-70. Hines took over with a layup-plus-free throw, getting help from Voigtmann to boost CSKA's lead to 69-75. Monroe scored again but James hit free throws and fed Kurbanov for a triple that sealed the outcome, 71-80, in the next-to-last minute.

Pivotal performer

James was the difference-maker in the game, hitting tough shots and creating for others. He finished the game with 27 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block and 10 fouls drawn for a PIR of 29. A true all-around performance.

Game-changing moment

A jumper by Huestis gave Bayern its only lead of the game, 8-7. That's when CSKA used a rain of three-pointers to get full control of the game. James and Hilliard buried a couple apiece and Voigtmann added another one in a 2-19 run that gave the guests a 10-26 margin. Even when Bayern returned to the game, it never completed its comeback.

Stellar stat

CSKA's aggressiveness and accuracy set the tone in the first half. CSKA outrebounded Bayern by 11-23 before halftime, shooting the ball with excellent percentages (64.7% 2FG, 40% 3FG) and forcing Bayern to struggle from all distances (41.2% 2FG, 18.2% 3FG). CSKA finished the game with 7 blocks, matching its season-high against Efes on December 20, 2019.

Did you notice?

CSKA remains perfect against Bayern, with six wins in as many games. Moreover, since the EuroLeague started in the 2000-01 season, CSKA has been almost invincible on German soil. It now has a 14-1 road record against German teams. Its only loss came against Brose Bamberg, 91-83, on March 24, 2016. CSKA also won the 2016 EuroLeague title at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin

Next game:

Both teams return to EuroLeague action quickly in Round 19, the first of two games next week. CSKA hosts Real Madrid on Tuesday in a rematch of last season's semifinals. Bayern visits Panathinaikos OPAP Athens on Wednesday

Darrun Hilliard - CSKA Moscow - EB19
Friday, January 10, 2020
Euroleague.net
Referees: LATISEVS, OLEGS; CORTES, CARLOS; KOWALSKI, MARCIN
Attendance: 5251
By Quarter1234
FC Bayern Munich10152725
CSKA Moscow18231825
End of Quarter1234
FC Bayern Munich10255277
CSKA Moscow18415984
FC Bayern Munich
  Rebounds Blocks Fouls
# Player Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR
8 KOPONEN, PETTERI 25:26 12 0/2 4/6     3 3 2 1 2     3 1 10
10 MONROE, GREG 25:17 20 9/14   2/5 4 6 10     3   2 4 6 19
11 LUCIC, VLADIMIR 29:45 17 4/11 2/4 3/3 1 2 3 2 1 1   2 1 5 15
12 LO, MAODO 8:24   0/1 0/2     1 1   1         1  
14 DEDOVIC, NIHAD 27:46 4 1/3 0/3 2/2   2 2 8 1 2   1 3 2 6
16 ZIPSER, PAUL 23:55 4   1/3 1/2 1 1 2 1           2 6
21 FLACCADORI, DIEGO DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
22 BARTHEL, DANILO 11:17   0/1 0/2     3 3           3   -3
26 LESSORT, MATHIAS 3:58   0/1           1         2   -2
31 SISKO, ZAN MARK 10:55 3 0/1 1/2         3 1 1   1 3    
34 HUESTIS, JOSHUA 22:32 17 4/5 3/5   3 1 4 1 2       2   19
43 RADOSEVIC, LEON 10:45   0/2     1 1 2 1   1   1 3   -4
Team           1 2 3     1         2
Totals 200:00 77 18/41 11/27 8/12 11 22 33 19 7 11 0 7 24 17 68
        43.9% 40.7% 66.7%
Head coach: KOSTIC, OLIVER
Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating
CSKA Moscow
  Rebounds Blocks Fouls
# Player Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR
3 BOLOMBOY, JOEL 19:03 2 1/2 0/1   4 3 7   1 1 2   1   8
5 JAMES, MIKE 32:50 27 5/12 3/11 8/9   5 5 7 1 2 1   1 10 32
7 UKHOV, IVAN DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
11 ANTONOV, SEMEN 26:00 4 2/4 0/2   2 2 4     1 1   1   3
17 VOIGTMANN, JOHANNES 19:45 4   1/2 1/2 1 5 6 3   1     4 4 10
20 VORONTSEVICH, ANDREY 13:59 5 1/1 1/2     2 2           2 2 6
30 KULAGIN, MIKHAIL DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
31 KOUFOS, KOSTA 5:44 4 2/3   0/1 1   1   1         1 5
32 HILLIARD, DARRUN 34:34 20 2/3 4/12 4/4 1 6 7 2 1 3     3 3 18
41 KURBANOV, NIKITA 9:45 3   1/1         2     1   3   3
42 HINES, KYLE 26:13 12 3/5   6/7 6 2 8 1   4 2   2 4 18
84 BAKER, RON 12:07 3   1/3     2 2 1 1 2     1   2
Team           1 2 3               3
Totals 200:00 84 16/30 11/34 19/23 16 29 45 16 5 14 7 0 18 24 108
        53.3% 32.4% 82.6%
Head coach: ITOUDIS, DIMITRIS

Head Coaches

KOSTIC, OLIVER
FC Bayern Munich
"First of all, I want to say congratulations to CSKA for winning the game but I also want to congratulate my players because we achieved many things in this game. As we all saw, we were stiff and nervous and, of course, we couldn't develop the game we wanted. We had some energy, which was very important for our side to keep on the floor, but execution on things like shooting and, of course, we had a huge problem in boxing out and rebounds, which is the way CSKA controlled the game. Also, CSKA played really, really physical, especially in this first half, and this is why they had these numbers. And this is why we had 25 points in the first half. And then, the second half is how we should look like. I mentioned this before, in this short time, there is not much to change. We worked on speeding up the game, to put the energy and to bring back, I would like to say, our dignity for all of us, together, too. And I think we did a great job. We played with great energy in the second half and great enthusiasm, and good numbers. We were fighting on the floor, all together. We had 16 assists in the second half and 9 offensive rebounds. We scored more than 50% of our three-point shots, so those are good numbers coming from our energy, our wish, our enthusiasm together on the floor. We needed to rotate different lineups on the floor, with full respect to CSKA, which is a great team. In the end, we got close, but we couldn't take the next step, but we should be really satisfied about how we responded in the second half and the way we looked on the floor."
ITOUDIS, DIMITRIS
CSKA Moscow
"First of all, I would like to wish Happy New Year to each and everyone, your families and everybody who has been following us in the whole world, of course. Regarding our game, I think we were dominant in the first half. We managed to bring a big margin for such a game: I think it was plus-20 for us. But then Bayern reacted pretty well. With all due respect to Bayern, we were giving them a lot of things, especially spot-up shots that they were looking for and making: big shots, in pick-and-pop actions, or drive-and-kick. We didn't manage this well but I have to congratulate, and I do it with big pleasure, to my players. We came over here with, let's say, a short rotation of the guards. We have a lot of injuries and managed to keep our composure in the clutch moments. It is very important at this stage to collect wins. We gave up 52 points in the second half and 27 in the third quarter. Let's not forget that 25 was the total points Bayern had in the first half. We did a great job in the first half but, as I said, we found the way. [Bayern] wanted to react as well; they wanted to compete as a team. They recently had some changes so it was something to expect. My closure would be that it was good for us to get a good lesson over here. We have to a tough double week ahead of us and have to work on each and every detail. We cannot give up 52 points in the second half, it is something that we need to study, work and be better at. Congratulations to Bayern, it is always great to play in Munich. The fans created a great atmosphere. Congratulations to them."

Players

HILLIARD, DARRUN
CSKA Moscow
"The third quarter was not our best quarter. We were up, I think, 17 and they cut it down to one in the third quarter. It was not our best quarter but we regrouped as a team, guys hit big shots, and we got some good stops to be able to come out with a big win."
JAMES, MIKE
CSKA Moscow
"I think we came out ready to play in the first half and took care of business: played defense, went on a run and in the third quarter, we kind of laid off a little bit. We let them get some momentum and made it tough on ourselves, but we closed out the game and I am happy that we won. I expect a tough game against Real Madrid (on Tuesday). They are a good team, a Final Four team, they have aspirations for it at least. It is going to be a tough game and we have to get to play them right now."