Game of the Week: TTT Riga and BLMA clash in potential Quarter-Finals berth decider

RIGA (Latvia) - The rewards could be huge for whoever wins between TTT Riga and BLMA in the latest  Game of the Week matchup, on Gameday 12, since the victor will make a big move towards locking up a post-season spot. 

Both clubs have five wins to their name and occupy fourth and fifth place in Group A, respectively, which means it's an absolutely crunch encounter as they scramble towards a Quarter-Finals berth.

While it feels like TTT Riga have some momentum behind them as they search for a third win in a row, BLMA have brought back Romane Bernies to bolster their roster and, on paper, this could be a hard-fought and tight contest.

The live broadcast of the game between TTT Riga and BLMA will be freely available on the EuroLeague Women YouTube channel, as well as on Facebook, at 18:00 CET on Wednesday, January 19.

Form guide: TTT Riga have continued to defy pre-season expectations and are in the fourth spot after going 5-6 so far. The Latvian side are also dominant domestically.  Meanwhile BLMA are one spot behind in the standings, with a 5-5 record and a game in hand. Since winning both of their opening games of the campaign, it's been a bit more of a struggle for the French side. Also, the alarm bells could be ringing soon as BLMA sits third from bottom in the French League, with a disappointing 4-8 record.

Last meeting: BLMA won 63-54 when the clubs met earlier in the season. Haley Peters led the way with 15 points and 11 rebounds for the hosts. 

Jasmine Thomas has turned up the dial this season for TTT Riga

Key matchup: Jasmine Thomas has been hugely influential for TTT Riga as their leading scorer with more than 14 points per game and also more than four assists per outing. The matchup with Olivia Epoupa will be a good one to watch, as the French point guard can apply big defensive pressure because of her quickness and athleticism. 

X-factor:  Ana Dabovic and defense. From a BLMA point of view, getting Dabovic back recently was a big boost. Able to score in bunches coming off the bench, it might be too early for her to make a big splash as she finds her rhythm again, but she undeniably has that 'X-Factor' whenever she is on the court. From a TTT Riga perspective, it's all about the defense as they have won almost half of their games despite being the lowest scorers in the competition. It's why they need their defense to be at its best from tip to buzzer if they want to move to what would be an even more impressive 6-6 record.

Wednesday, January 19

Group A
Perfumerias Avenida v ZVVZ USK Praha - 20:30 CET

Group B
Dynamo Kursk v Sopron Basket - 17:00 CET
VBW Arka Gdynia v Basket Landes - 18:00 CET
Galatasaray v Spar Girona - 18:00 CET

Thursday, January 20

Group A
UMMC Ekaterinburg v KSC Szekszard - 15:00 CET

FIBA