Winning Game 3 on the road? What does recent EuroLeague Women history tell us
MUNICH (Germany) - Do-or-die. These are the games that make sports. And, it doesn't get much bigger than a Game 3 decider in a Play-Offs series, especially with a spot in the EuroLeague Women Final Four on the line.
Beretta Famila Schio, Casademont Zaragoza and Villeneuve d'Ascq LM all gave themselves another shot at a precious ticket to the Final Four when they secured Game 2 victories on their home floor.
10-1: HOME TEAM RECORD IN GAME 3 DECIDERS SINCE 2014
Now the next task is to win on the road in their opponents' backyard and disregard the home advantage factor. The trio of challengers are also vying to join an exclusive group of teams that have turned a 0-1 deficit into a 2-1 triumph in EuroLeague Women Quarter-Finals history.
The last team to win a Game 3 decider on the road is a club that will be aiming to prevent it from happening again as ZVVZ USK Praha - who will host Schio on Wednesday - defeated Nadezhda to complete a 2-1 series turnaround in the 2016-17 season.
That success for Praha remains the only time a road team has triumphed in the deciding matchup since the format returned to a best-of-3 series for the Quarter-Finals in 2014. Previous cases also include Gambrinus Brno winning in Bourges en route to claiming a maiden title in 2006.
It's the second season in a row where three of the four ties have gone the distance with Cukurova and Praha looking to repeat the feat of getting the job done in front of their home fans.
Here's a look back on the Game 3 deciders in Quarter-Finals since 2014:
| SEASON | HOME TEAM | OPPOSITION | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | Cukurova Basketbol Mersin (TUR) | Tango Bourges Basket (FRA) | 91-63 |
| 2022-23 | ZVVZ USK Praha (CZE) | Perfumerias Avenida (ESP) | 74-66 |
| 2022-23 | Beretta Famila Schio (ITA) | Valencia Basket Club (ESP) | 62-53 |
| 2021-22 | ZVVZ USK Praha (CZE) | Beretta Famila Schio (ITA) | 90-77 |
| 2021-22 | Perfumerias Avenida (ESP) | Spar Girona (ESP) | 74-65 |
| 2017-18 | Sopron Basket (HUN) | Fenerbahce (TUR) | 67-46 |
| 2016-17 | Fenerbahce (TUR) | Perfumerias Avenida (ESP) | 87-80 |
| 2016-17 | Nadezhda (RUS) | ZVVZ USK Praha (CZE) | 57-70 |
| 2015-16 | UMMC Ekaterinburg (RUS) | Galatasaray (TUR) | 86-66 |
| 2014-15 | Dynamo Kursk (RUS) | Tango Bourges Basket (FRA) | 88-72 |
| 2014-15 | Fenerbahce (TUR) | Galatasaray (TUR) | 63-52 |
The 2017-18 edition was actually the last time that a team failed to advance from a 1-0 starting position as Sopron Basket pulled off a comeback against Fenerbahce Alagoz Holding - winning the decisive Game 3 in Hungary.
In fact - including Fenerbahce's series victory in the current season - teams are now 50-7 in a best-of-3 Quarter-Finals series when winning Game 1 in the last two decades of EuroLeague Women action*.
So, will we see any completed comebacks with victory on the road? Have your say below by voting for the team you think is most likely to buck the trend, and advance:
*NOTE: The format included a Final Eight round from 2011-14, while the 2019-20 season was cancelled before completion and the Quarter-Finals were played in a two-leg format in neutral venues in the 2020-21 season.
FIBA
