MUNICH (FIBA Europe Cup) - Juventus Utena became the first team to qualify for the Quarter-Finals in the FIBA Europe Cup but there will be seven more tickets to the next round of the Play-Offs on the line on Wednesday.

From the teams involved, Nizhny Novgorod and Bakken Bears are in the best position to advance, having registered double-digit victories on the road last week.

Umana Reyer Venezia and Donar Groningen are also in charge of their ties after very big wins at home, with the outcome in the remaining matchups slightly more likely to change.

Nizhny Novgorod v Keravnos

Time: Wednesday, 17:00 CET
Domestic Form: Nizhny Novgorod did not play in the VTB League this week. They remain in 11th place with a 4-10 record. Keravnos picked up an 85-57 victory against Paralimni and improved to a second-best 12-3 record in the Cypriot Basketball League.
Key Matchup: Stevan Jelovac v Mohamed Abukar
First Leg: Nizhny Novgorod +15 (77-62)
Next Opponent: Winner of Egis Kormend v Umana Reyer Venezia
They Said: "We are expecting a tough fight at home in the second leg. During the season Keravnos have proved that they can be very dangerous on the road. You can just recall their game against Avtodor in Russia during the Basketball Champions League Qualifiers. They won and almost eliminated Avtodor from the competition. We must be disciplined on the court if we want to continue our way in FIBA Europe Cup." – Nizhny Novgorod head coach Zoran Lukic
"No one expected for us to reach this far in the season, we recorded nine wins and my players deserve to be here. I am proud of my team and my players for their run in the FIBA Europe Cup. We will now go to Russia and try to take something from the game." – Keravnos head coach Christoforos Leivadiotis
Live Stream: YouTube.com/FIBA

Tsmoki-Minsk v Sidigas Scandone Avellino

Time: Wednesday, 17:00 CET
Domestic Form: Tsmoki inscribed an 88-81 victory on the road against Perm and climbed to 9th place in the VTB League standings with a 5-11 record. Avellino returned to winning ways in Italy with an 89-71 win over Brindisi. They are in 3rd place with a 15-6 record in Serie A.
Key Matchup: David Kravish v Kyrylo Fesenko
First Leg: Tied, no advantage (70-70)
Next Opponent: Winner of Alba Fehervar v Juventus Utena
They Said: "It was a difficult game for us indeed [in Avellino]. We had a chance to win it, but lost our concentration during the last minute of the game. Avellino is a strong team on the perimeter and, in the paint, Fesenko is a problem for any team, not only for us. In any case, we should get ready for a tough game in Minsk." – Tsmoki head coach Aliaksandr Krutsikau
"I'm not satisfied [with the first leg]: we should have taken advantage of the fact that we were playing at home, but we didn't. I'm sure the next game in Belarus will be tough because I perfectly know they're a very strong team in their own venue and they're doing well in the domestic championship." – Avellino center Kyrylo Fesenko
Live Stream: YouTube.com/FIBA

U-BT Cluj-Napoca v Donar Groningen

Time: Wednesday, 18:00 CET
Domestic Form: Cluj-Napoca edged SCM Craiova 88-82 in the Romanian championship on Saturday, moving to 15-4 in the table. Donar eased to an 85-61 win against Leiden in the Dutch Basketball League and stayed in pole position with a 19-2 record.
Key Matchup: Giordan Watson v Brandyn Curry
First Leg: Donar Groningen +27 (103-76)
Next Opponent: Winner of Mornar Bar v Oostende
They Said: "We didn't pass the test [in the first leg], so congrats to Donar. We need to learn from this, this should never, ever happen again." – U-BT Cluj-Napoca captain Aleksandar Rasic
"We won the first half but we still have to play the second half in Cluj. So we are not done yet." – Donar Groningen head coach Erik Braal
Live Stream: YouTube.com/FIBA

Bakken Bears v Ventspils

Time: Wednesday, 18:30 CET
Domestic Form: Bakken Bears did not play in the Danish Basketball League last weekend. They are 2nd in the table with a 17-3 record, one game behind Horsens. In the Latvian Basketball League, Ventspils downed Latvijas Universitate 82-64 on Saturday and stayed at the top of the standings with a 20-1 mark.
Key Matchup: DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell v Aigars Skele
First Leg: Bakken Bears +20 (93-73)
Next Opponent: Winner of ESSM Le Portel v Dinamo Sassari
They Said: "I am ecstatic about our performance [in the first leg]. We rescheduled a lot of our domestic games in order to be prepared for that game and we will work to be ready for the second game. This season, we have tried to have to defend a lead before, but without success. We have to improve this." – Bakken Bears head coach Steffen Wich
"I have to agree with the coach and apologize for my own game [in the first leg]. Right now we have to stick together. Don't write us off just yet." – Ventspils guard Rihards Lomazs
Live Stream: YouTube.com/FIBA

Egis Kormend v Umana Reyer Venezia

Time: Wednesday, 19:10 CET
Domestic Form: Third-placed Kormend defeated Hungarian championship leaders Szolnoki Olaj 75-74 on Saturday to improve to a 16-5 record in the standings. Venezia defeated Torino 90-82 on the road and stayed atop the Serie A standings in Italy with a 16-6 record.
Key Matchup: Andre Hollins v MarQuez Haynes
First Leg: Umana Reyer Venezia +32 (83-51)
Next Opponent: Winner of Nizhny Novgorod v Keravnos
They Said: "Really good win in the first leg, mostly because for 40 minutes we had great intensity from all the players, especially on defense. We used it to push on the breaks. We played with high rhythm and we gave minutes to players who had little in the last games. 40 minutes of great attention and mentality, now we have to focus on the next one." – Umana Reyer Venezia head coach Walter De Raffaele
Live Stream: YouTube.com/FIBA

ESSM Le Portel v Dinamo Sassari

Time: Wednesday, 20:00 CET
Domestic Form: Le Portel ended their cold spell in France, defeating Cholet 84-76 on the road and improving to a 10-12 mark after three consecutive losses in the Pro A. Dinamo Sassari blew out Cremona 102-86 in Serie A, moving up to 6th place in the standings with a 11-10 record.
Key Matchup: Jean-Victor Traore v Achille Polonara
First Leg: Dinamo Sassari +17 (72-55)
Next Opponent: Winner of Bakken Bears v Ventspils
They Said: "I'm pretty disappointed with my team because we played just for 30 minutes and we know that we have to be aggressive and determined for 40 minutes. I'm looking for a reaction from my players in the next game." – ESSM Le Portel head coach Eric Girard
"I think what we did in the second half [of the first leg] represents how we should play in the future – giving our best and enjoying our fans. Everything depends from the will. You have to always be present and focused." – Dinamo Sassari guard Rok Stipcevic
Live Stream: YouTube.com/FIBA

Mornar Bar v Oostende

Time: Wednesday, 20:30 CET
Domestic Form: Oostende triumphed in the Belgian Basketball Cup with an 84-80 overtime victory over Belfius Mons-Hainaut in the Final. Mornar Bar finished the ABA League Regular Season with a 106-75 win over MZT Skopje, and qualify for the Semi-Finals after claiming fourth place with a 14-8 record.
Key Matchup: Derek Needham v Dusan Djordjevic
First Leg: Oostende +13 (84-71)
Next Opponent: Winner of U-BT Cluj-Napoca v Donar Groningen
They Said: "We came against aggressive defense in the first game, but we promise to try to go to the next round." – Mornar Bar head coach Mihailo Pavicevic
"We are getting ready for the crowd in Mornar. And we will use what god gave us." – Oostende head coach Dario Gjergja
Live Stream: YouTube.com/FIBA

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