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UMMC confidently defeat NIKA-Luzales in home regular-season game

The regular-season game of the FONBET Russian Championship – Premier League between UMMC and NIKA-Luzales took place in Yekaterinburg, where the hosts won convincingly with a score of 78:59. Every player on the UMMC team scored points.

Scores by quarter: 20:19, 26:18, 13:14, 19:8

The home team started the game in a sloppy manner, making a number of unforced turnovers. Within three minutes, the "Lynxes" from Syktyvkar took a five-point lead, showing aggressive defense. A timeout taken by the UMMC coaching staff proved to be a turning point: Anastasiia Shilova, Alex Bentley, and Megan Walker were accurate from beyond the arc, bringing the hosts back into the game. The final seconds of the quarter were a battle, ending with a narrow lead for the defending champions – 20:19.

In the second quarter, the visitors began to lose focus, and the Yekaterinburg team quickly took advantage of this. Jovana Nogic hit two perimeter shots, establishing a double-digit lead as the "Lynxes" struggled under pressure. NIKA tried to respond with aggressive offense, but their rally was quickly halted by UMMC's strong play under the basket. The first half ended with a comfortable lead for the hosts – 46:37.  
After the break, the pace of the game slowed down a bit: both teams played more cautiously, avoiding unnecessary risks. The visitors managed to fight back and even outscored the home team in this quarter 13:14, but UMMC still dominated in key rebounds and block shots. Before the final stretch, the "Foxes" maintained a solid eight-point lead, giving NIKA a slim chance for a comeback – 59:51.

Just when it seemed that the intrigue might return, the hosts shifted into high gear. The performance of Kosu was flawless – accurate shots from long range, under the basket, and from the free-throw line increased the lead to 14 points. The sharp shooting from Jovana Nogic and Maryia Papova completed the rout of the visitors. The final buzzer sounded with the score 78:59 – another confident win for the leader of the standings.    

UMMC: Maiga and Papova – both with 12 points.
NIKA-Luzales: Jackson – 13, Logunova – 11, Lyra Macedo – 10 points.   

The next games for both teams will take place in the "Final 4" of the Fonbet Russian Cup on January 30 in Yekaterinburg, where the hosts will face MBA-MGUSiT from Moscow, and the athletes from Komi will battle Dynamo Kursk for a spot in the final.