UNICS Kazan used a three-point barrage and a tough defense to hand league leader AX Armani Exchange Milan its second loss of the season with a 97-71 rout at home. UNICS tied a club record by draining 14 triples in winning its fourth game in the last five for a 5-5 record.
UNICS races past Milan to snap leader’s win streak, 97-71
UNICS put together a 25-7 run in the second quarter to build a 14-point lead and then put the game away with a 20-7 surge in the third quarter to lead by 22 points. Isaiah Canaan knocked down 6 three-pointers in scoring a team-high 22 points in the win while OJ Mayo made 5 triples for 20 points and John Brown added 19 points in the win over what was the league’s top defense coming into the contest. Milan saw its three-game winning streak end in dropping to 8-2. Luigi Datome, Shavon Shields and Nicolo Melli all scored 10 points to lead Milan in scoring.
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In the 5,000th game in the EuroLeague modern era, Shields started the scoring for the guests with a jumper. After Lorenzo Brown scored UNICS’s first points with free throws, Shields drained a three-pointer before Devon Hall made it 4-9 early. John Brown started hot with a jumper and three-pointer to get UNICS within 9-11. Kyle Hines put Milan up 11-15, but the league leaders went scoreless for nearly 3 minutes and John Brown pushed his early total to 9 points and Tonye Jekiri added a dunk in an 8-0 spurt for a 19-15 advantage. The score was 19-17 after 10 minutes.
Mayo was on fire to start the second quarter with 3 straight three-pointers - the fourth ending in a four-point play - as UNICS opened a 30-19 advantage. Troy Daniels countered from deep, but Canaan punched back with 2 three-pointers of his own as the cushion swelled to 36-22. Milan started to score a bit more consistently though a third Canaan triple made it 41-28. Datome answered with 5 straight points and the deficit was into single figures 41-33. But the hosts went into the break with a 44-33 lead.
Hines opened the second half and Shields hit a three-pointer to trim the gap to 46-38. John Brown came up with a three-point play at the other end and Canaan and Mario Hezonja splashed home triples as the hosts went ahead by 17 points. Sergio Rodriguez made a three-pointer for Milan, but Canaan answered right back from deep and Mayo also drained a triple and the margin was 69-47. The score was 71-49 after 30 minutes.
Jarrell Brantley opened the fourth quarter with a big dunk and-one and John Brown’s steal and dunk gave UNICS a 76-49 margin. Hall’s three-pointer was answered right back from Canaan from the outside. UNICS added an 11-0 run to increase the advantage to 95-60 with less than 4 minutes to play to end any doubts.