Everything you need to know before Wednesday's games

MIES, Switzerland (Basketball Champions League) - The third Basketball Champions League season is on! Let's have a look at some key facts before Wednesday's games.

Banvit (TUR) v MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg (GER)

These two teams have played the first two seasons of the Basketball Champions League, Banvit finishing second in 2016/17 and Ludwigsburg finishing 4th last season. Ludwigsburg have played the most BCL games among the teams that will take part in the 2018/19 season (40 games). Banvit are just behind with 38 games played. Banvit allowed their opponents to make only 1.3 blocks per game last season in the BCL, less than any other team. Ludwigsburg have scored the most points in BCL history among the current teams (3197). Banvit's Devin Oliver, arrived this Summer from Petrol Olimpija, made on average 2 steals per game in the BCL 2017/18, more than any other forward.




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Ventspils (LAT) v Anwil Wloclawek (POL)

Ventspils will take part in their third BCL season, their best result being a Play-Offs Qualifier round in 2016/17. Anwil will make their debut in BCL and are the third Polish team to appear in the competition after Zielona Gora and Rosa Radom. Ventspils have won their two games against a Polish opposition in BCL, both against Rosa Radom in 2016/17. Ventspils made fewer fouls per game (18.1) than any other team during the Regular Season of the BCL 2017/18. Anwil's new guard Vladimir Mihailovic will take part in his third BCL season, with a third different team, after Oldenburg in 2016/17 and Oostende in 2017/18.

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Opava (CZE) v Nanterre 92 (FRA)

Opava will make their debut in BCL. They are only the second Czech team to appear in the competition after CEZ Nymburk. Nanterre 92 will take part in their second season in a row in BCL. They were knocked out in the Round of 16 by Banvit in the 2017/18 edition. Nanterre 92 already faced a Czech team on Gameday 1 last season: they won 81-72 on CEZ Nymburk's court. Nanterre 92 made on average 11.4 3-pointers per game in the BCL 2017/18, more than any other team. Only one forward with more than 70 attempts from behind the arc last season had a best 3P% than Nanterre's Hugo Invernizzi (38/83 - 45.8%).




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 AEK (GRE) v Hapoel Jerusalem (ISR)

AEK, the current BCL champion, will take part in their third campaign in the competition. Hapoel Jerusalem will make their debut in BCL. They are the fourth team from Israel to appear in the competition. AEK is one of the three teams to have scored more than 3000 points in BCL history (3084). AEK made 19.1 free-throws per game last season in BCL, more than any other team. AEK's Dusan Sakota has scored 482 points in the BCL, second best tally and the most among the players who will take part in the 2018/19 campaign.

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 UNET Holon (ISR) v Fribourg Olympic (SUI)

UNET Holon will take part in their second consecutive BCL season. They are the first team from Israel to appear in two different editions of the BCL. Fribourg Olympic are the first Swiss team to take part in BCL. Switzerland are now the 23rd country to have had a team appearing in BCL. UNET Holon have won only three of their 14 BCL games, but all these three wins came at home. UNET Holon conceded 88.9 points on average per game last season in BCL, more than any other team. UNET Holon's new man Shawn Jones grabbed the most rebounds per game for Dinamo Sassari last season in BCL (5.7 per game).

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Brose Bamberg (GER) v Montakit Fuenlabrada (ESP)

Brose Bamberg will make their debut in BCL this season and will be the 6th German team to appear in the competition. Montakit Fuenlabrada will also make their debut in BCL and will be the 4th Spanish team to appear in the competition. The Spanish teams have won five of their seven encounters against German sides in BCL. Brose Bamberg's Arnoldas Kulboka was the youngest player (20y) with more than one double-double last season in BCL (2 double-doubles) during his loan at Capo d'Orlando. He won the BCL Best Young Player of the Year in 2017/18. Fuenlabrada's Christian Eyenga was the best point scorer for Varese (186) in the BCL 2016/17.


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UCAM Murcia (ESP) v Le Mans (FRA)

UCAM Murcia will appear for the second season in a row in BCL. They won the bronze medal for their BCL debut last season. Le Mans took part in the first edition of the BCL, knocked out in the Round of 16 by Dinamo Sassari. UCAM Murcia attempted (25.3) and made (19.1) the most free-throws during the Regular Season of the BCL 2017/18. Murcia's Ovie Soko grabbed on average 7.4 rebounds per game in the BCL 2017/18, more than any other forward. Among the current squad, only Wilfried Yeguete and Petr Cornelie already took part in the BCL 2016/17 with Le Mans.

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Segafredo Virtus Bologna (ITA) v Neptunas Klaipeda (LTU)

Segafredo Virtus Bologna will make their debut in BCL and will be the 5th Italian team to appear in the competition. Neptunas Klaipeda will take part in their third season in BCL, reaching the Round of 16 in both their two previous seasons in the league. The Italian teams have won three of their eight games against Lithuanian sides in BCL. Neptunas Klaipeda allowed their opponents to score an average of 17.4 free throws per game in the BCL last season, more than any other team. Neptunas' center Simas Galdikas made on average 3.9 fouls per game last season in the BCL, more than any other player. He was fouled out eight times in the BCL 2017/18.

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 Filou Oostende (BEL) v Promitheas (GRE)

Filou Oostende will take part in their third BCL campaign but never managed to go through the Group Phase in their two previous seasons. Promitheas will make their debut in BCL and will be the 4th Greek team to take part in a BCL season. Filou Oostende have won their two BCL games played against a Greek side, it was last season against Aris. Filou Oostende attempted 55.1 field goals per game in the BCL 2017/18, the fewest among all teams in the competition last season. Oostende's new forward Nemanja Djurisic grabbed on average 6.6 rebounds per game last season in the BCL with Telekom Baskets Bonn, more than any of his former teammates.

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