Khimki Moscow Region improved its standing in Group C with a hard-fought win over Besiktas Cola Turka in Istanbul, Turkey, on Wednesday. Khimki led for much of the night, but found itself trailing with less than three minutes to go before rallying for the win. Khimki improved to 2-1 by winning on the road for the first time and will host Besiktas in Russia next week in what will be new head coach Sergio Scariolo's first game on the sidelines. Besiktas fell to 1-2. Kelly McCarty paced the winners with 25 points on 4-for-5 three-point shooting and 5 steals. Jerome Moiso added 15 points, Carlos Delfino scored 14 and Milt Palacio dished 8 assists for the winners. Mire Chatman led Besiktas with 19 points, Cevher Ozer posted 15 points and 8 rebounds and Muratcan Guler added 12 points in defeat.

Besiktas made an effective start in the game with Jimmy Baxter outside and Ozer inside, but it doesn’t take long for Khimki to level the game. Experienced players like Delfino, McCarty, Jorge Garbajosa and Moiso carried the visitors. However Ozer dunked the ball and then Chatman's free throw at put the hosts up 8-4. McCarty nailed a jumper to tie it at 8-8 and then Khimki took the control of the game on Garbajosa's triple. Khimki used the defensive mistakes of the home team well enough as Garbajosa free throws made increased the lead to 16-22. Chatman's three pointer with two minutes left in the opening period was the last basket for the home team as Khimki took a 19-27 advantage. Besiktas improve its defense at the beginning of the second period and Adem Oren his a three-pointer line to get Besiktas going. But Moiso and McCarty paired as the attacking power for Khimki and the visitors outrebounded Besiktas to take a 28-37 lead. Delfino scored a pair of dunks and despite 5 points in a row from Guler, Khimki led 33-44 at halftime.

Khimki took a double-digit lead for the first time in the game at two minutes into the second half on a McCarty three-pointer that made it 39-49. But then Besiktas answered with Guler, Ozer, Chatman and Haluk Yildirim to get within 48-51 midway through the third period. Delfino answered from downtown, but Chatman dunked to cut the deficit to 52-54 and soon Dennis Mims tied the game at 54-54. McCarty hit a triple to move his ahead 54-57 at the end of the third period. Ozer tied the game again with a triple, but Palacio, Mike Wilkinson and Delfino pushed Khimki back ahead. Another Ozer three-pointer with less than three minutes to play gave Besiktas its first lead since the opening minutes, 67-66. But a Wilkinson layup and Delfino free throws came one after another as Khimki regained control and Chatman dunk didn’t help Besiktas to change the outcome in the closing seconds as Khimki won on the road.