26 September, 2017
22 April, 2018
21 Kayla McBride | Photo: Virginia Pintado
28/11/2017
Preview
to read

EuroLeague Women Week 6 killer questions

MUNICH (EuroLeague Women) - We take a look at some of the killer questions heading into Week 6 of EuroLeague Women action.

We start with our game of the week between Yakin Dogu Universitesi and Fenerbahce - one of eight matchups that you can watch live and for free, via the FIBA YouTube channel as well as following them via our Live Updates.

Yakin Dogu Universitesi vs Fenerbahce

Both teams are 4-1 and so who will come out on top in this battle of the Group co-leaders? Fenerbahce won this Istanbul derby in the Turkish League 10 days ago, so can they repeat the feat with Ayse Cora and Kelsey Plum unstoppable again? Is this a possible future Final Four matchup with both sides flying high? If Fenerbahce now have their full roster with the late addition of Aerial Powers, can they go four in a row? Yakin Dogu will want to claim revenge and can they avoid a third early season defeat on their home floor in EuroLeague Women and the Turkish League after being undefeated all last year? Will Quanitra Hollingsworth haunt her former club?

UMMC vs Famila Schio


After losing Kathrin Ress earlier in the season, Schio have now also lost Eva Lisec to injury and so can their experienced, but now short-handed frontcourt cope? UMMC also faced some missing players last week, so how is their roster going to look coming into this game and will Diana Taurasi be back? They are the second-best team from downtown, but Schio have the second-worst percentage from two-point range - can they improve on this? If Schio remain hot from long-range and Evgeniia Beliakova and Taurasi get going for UMMC, is this a shootout in waiting? Can UMMC win two in a row for the first time this season? Who will win the duel between two of the best wings in the women's game in Alba Torrens and Cecilia Zandalasini?

Dynamo Kursk vs Galatasaray

They have so much firepower, but is defense the point Dynamo Kursk need to work on most to become potentially unbeatable? With Isil Alben already back last weekend in domestic action, will Galatasaray also be able to field Alexandria Quigley for this one? Can the visitors take up the challenge of not being able to afford any absences or off-nights from any of their key players? Jelena Dubljevic and Sonja Petrovic could be fun to watch and who will come out on top? Gintare Petronyte and Helena Ciak are two of the tallest centers in the competition, so will whoever wins that battle be crucial, especially as the former is a top 3 tournament scorer?

Sopron Basket vs ZVVZ USK Prague


Sopron lost in the Hungarian League last weekend and will want to bounce back, so will possibly have extra motivation? The second and third-best offenses go at each other in this contest, so who will manage to outscore their opponent? If you put aside the rout imposed by Kursk from their defensive record, Prague are the sixth-best defense in EuroLeague Women as opposed to 14th if taking it into account - so do they have the defensive edge over Sopron? Prague have not won on their travels yet and so can they take that next step and draw level with Sopron with a 4-2 record? With two vital road trips coming, Sopron need to get all the points they can at home, but can the likes of Tina Jovanovic or Crystal Langhorne stop MVP race leader Amanda Zahui?

Wisla CANPACK vs BLMA


With no Ewelina Kobryn who has departed the club and with Ornella Bankole suffering an ACL injury, will BLMA be able to compete so short-handed? Can the rest of the players re-group and find extra motivation in adversity? Wisla are under major pressure and face their biggest opportunity to get their first win and so can they finally harness the positive signs from their early games? Can Wisla take advantage of BLMA's lack of height in the paint? Can BLMA stop the in-form Leonor Rodriguez on the perimeter and can Wisla slow down Giorgia Sottana?

ESBVA-LM vs Bourges Basket


Bourges are feeling the pressure at 1-4, so can they get this win to keep their ambitions of making the post-season alive? After a positive start, ESBVA-LM have struggled and lost 2 games, so can they use this home game and knowledge of their opponents to bounce back? With Virginie Bremont out with a broken foot, can the in-form Johanne Gomis switch to playmaker duties and yet still remain the offensive force for ESBVA with her new role? Bourges defeated ESBVA by 19 in the LFB a few weeks ago, so will they build confidence on this and impose themselves again?

Castors Braine vs CCC Polkowice


Will CCC Polkowice continue their momentum and make it three wins in a row [including back-to-back road victories), or will Castors Braine make it sixth time lucky and get off the mark at last? Can the hosts improve their defense as they stand last in that category among all teams? Can Braine mentally recover from a 0-5 start? Will the hosts be able to win the battle in the paint against the likes of Temitope Fagbenle and Artemis Spanou, via Anete Steinberga and Celeste Trahan-Davis?

Perfumerias Avenida vs Nadezhda


As the two worst offenses of the competition go up against each other, will Avenida's better defensive stance be the difference-maker? Can Nadezhda break Avenida's defensive lock? After a strong and promising start to the season, Avenida have lost their last two games and so can they avoid an evaporation of all that promise by stopping the rot and avoiding an unwanted 3-3 record? Will Sandra Ygueravide enjoy a trip back home to Spain and be able to pull the strings for the visitors against the likes of her compatriot Silvia Dominguez? Will new Avenida signing Kim Mestdagh suit up?

FIBA