Bayern downs German rival Ulm

In an all-German showdown, FC Bayern Munich defeated ratiopharm Ulm 83-69 to improve to 2-0 in Group G action on Wednesday night. Ulm dropped to 0-2 in a game Bayern took control in the first quarter, and opened a double-digit lead in the second. For the remainder of the game Ulm never got closer than 6 points, 53-47 in the third quarter, after which Bayern responded with a 9-1 run and cruised the rest of the way. Bryce Taylor finished the game with 19 points, and Nihad Djedovic scored 15. Alex Renfroe and Jhon Bryant had 14 points apiece in victory. Raymar Morgan had 23 points plus 7 rebounds for the visitors, and Augustine Rubit chipped in with 14 points in defeat.

Back-to-back triples from Rubit and Morgan put Ulm in front 3-8 after 100 seconds, but Taylor and Dusko Savanovic answered, hitting from long range for Bayern on consecutive possessions. Teams traded leads as Taylor and Renfroe had buckets for the hosts, and Morgan scored for Ulm, 13-14. Savanovic made plays on both ends of the floor that fueled an 8-1 run and helped Bayern hold 22-19 at the end of first quarter. Taylor opened the second quarter with a triple, and with help from Paul Zipser it was Bayern with the first double-digit lead of the night, 29-19. Justin Cobbs kept the margin at 10 points, before Rubit on one end and Nihad Djedovic on the other each hit a triple. Deon Thompson made it 38-26, but Chris Babb and Morgan made sure the hosts don’t run away, and Morgan worked the offensive glass to get Rubit a second chance point that made it 42-34. Bayern replied with back-to-back threes from Renfroe and Bryant, opening a 14-point margin, before Morgan’s put-back made it 48-36 at the break.

Morgan and Taylor traded triples to start third quarter, before Rubit and Taylor Braun combined for 8 points as Ulm closed within 53-47. But Bayern allowed only one field goal in more than 4 minutes, as Thompson and Bryant helped it open 62-49 lead. Per Guenther hit a triple for Ulm, but big man Bryant hit one for Bayern, making it 66-52 at the end of the third quarter. Djedovic extended it to 16 points early in the fourth. Morgan had a three-point play for the visitors, but a pair of threes from Renfroe put Bayern at 76-61. Taylor also added a three-pointer for the hosts, as they did not look back, comfortably closing out the game.