Dangerous for favorites

First double week of Year 2019 for our team starts in Istanbul.

Pre-game breakdown

The first double-week of the season for the Army Men featured the same opponents. Though in the first leg the red-blues visited Maccabi first and then hosted Darussafaka.

13 players went to Turkey. Ivan Ukhov and Andrey Lopatin played for CSKA-2 on the day of departure.

Pre-game quotes

Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:

Darussafaka is a very athletic team, and there is huge difference between the games they play at home and away. For instance, at home they allow the opponents to score 20 points less than in away games. They force turnovers and they run the floor well, they go for boards strong with their frontline of Eric and Evans, but the others support them as well, like Kidd who plays 3 and 4 or big guards like Payne. They recently added Douglas who runs the team well. Overall they proved that they can beat playoff teams, take the scalps off some good teams like they did against Olympiacos for instance. We need to have motivation and concentration on the highest level on this double week.

Cory Higgins, CSKA guard/forward:

We expect a really tough game. They play very well at home, great defense, they run the floor well, they add extra toughness on their court. We have to be very focused and motivated the whole game.

“Relativity” connections

Will Clyburn made his EuroLeague debut with Darussafaka in the 2016-17 season. There is only one Darussafaka player Clyburn who was a teammate of Clyburn that season, center Oguz Savas.

Important numbers

Coach Itoudis has used 11 different players in CSKA’s starting lineups this season; no player has started in every EuroLeague game.

Cory Higgins has scored in double figures in 22 of his last 23 EuroLeague games. He is ranked third in scoring this season with 15.3 points per game.

Higgins has made at least 1 three-pointer in 11 straight EuroLeague games.

Higgins ranks third in the league in three-point accuracy this season at 55.8%

Will Clyburn has scored at least 10 points in 12 straight EuroLeague games.

Clyburn has collected at least 1 steal in 12 of CSKA’s last 13 EuroLeague games.

Will Clyburn is second in the league this season in average PIR with 20.6 per game.

Will Clyburn ranks fourth in the league this season in rebounding with 7.1 per game.

Nando De Colo has made at least 1 three-pointer in five straight EuroLeague games.

De Colo is the EuroLeague career leader in free throw accuracy at 93.65%.

Daniel Hackett has made at least 1 three-pointer in five straight EuroLeague games.

Sergio Rodriguez has made 12 consecutive free throws in EuroLeague action.

Sergio Rodriguez ranks fifth all-time with 1,006 assists for his career. Barcelona point guard Thomas Heurtel is fourth with 1,086 career assists and counting.

Kyle Hines is third in EuroLeague history with 195 blocked shots. Anadolu Efes big man Bryant Dunston is second with 207 and counting.

Hines is third in EuroLeague history with 473 offensive rebounds.

Hines is ranked 11th in competition history with 1,073 rebounds. Mike Batiste is 10th with 1,117.

Past matchups

Wins-losses: 4-1.
2015-16 – Euroleague. Regular season. Darussafaka – CSKA: 75-80 (+5)
2015-16 – Euroleague. Regular season. CSKA – Darussafaka: 94-66 (+28)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular season. Darussafaka – CSKA: 91-83 (-8)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular season. CSKA – Darussafaka: 95-85 (+10)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Regular season. CSKA – Darussafaka: 79-75 (+4)

Short dossier

Darussafaka Dogus Istanbul, Turkey
Founded: 1914
Colors: black, green
Home courts: Volkswagen Arena (4,500), Abdi Ipekci Arena (12,270)
Chief of the Board: Erman Yerdelen
Head coach: Ahmet Caki
Website: www.darussafakabasketbol.com
Trophy case: EuroCup winner (2018), 2-time Turkish champion (1961, 62), Turkish League runner-up (1960), Turkish Cup finalist (2002)