Zenit Puts Perfect Record On Line vs. CSKA

CSKA Moscow hosts Zenit St. Petersburg in the Game of the Week.

Who:
CSKA, 2014-15 VTB United League champion
vs.
Zenit, 2014-15 VTB United League quarterfinalist

Where:
USH CSKA (capacity 5,000), Moscow, Russia

When:
7:00 PM (7:00 PM MSK), Moscow, Russia

TV:
NTV+, United League TV

Face to Face
The Zenit - CSKA football rivalry is among the best in Russia. Last season, the two clubs met for the first time on the basketball court in the VTB United League. CSKA came out on top twice, winning 81-56 in St. Petersburg and 102-86 in Moscow.

Looking Back

Intrigue
CSKA and Zenit are two of the biggest brands in Russian sports. With these two teams atop the league standings, the stakes are even higher. St. Petersburg is currently undefeated in the VTB United League and secured a place in the Eurocup Top 32 on Wednesday by beating PAOK. Artem Vikhrov and Ryan Toolson (VTB United League October MVP) have also returned from injury. Going up against the reigning champs, Zenit hopes to score a statement win on the road and improve to 8-0.

The Army Men have not lost since November 13, when they dropped a game at home to Unicaja in the Euroleague. Head coach Dimitris Itoudis has said several times that he's happy with how his team responded to the setback. The Muscovites went 4-0 over the last two weeks, defeating Maccabi Tel Aviv and Dinamo Sassari in the Euroleague and UNICS and Nymburk in the VTB United League. After knocking off the league's 3rd and 4th-ranked teams, CSKA has a chance to topple undefeated Zenit and take over 1st place in the standings.

Both teams feature players and coaches who have spent time at both clubs. Dmitry Kulagin put up big numbers for Zenit last season before signing with CSKA in the offseason. Ivan Lazarev played nine games for Zenit in 2014-15, while Cory Higgins starred for Zenit coach Vasily Karasev at Triumph Lyubertsy in the 2013-14 season. Karasev, meanwhile, spent five seasons with the Army Men in the 1990s.

Question
Will CSKA be affected by the late game on Friday against Dinamo Sassari?

Zenit played in the Eurocup on Wednesday, giving Karasev's men plenty of time to recover and prepare for Sunday's showdown. The Army Men, on the other hand, had to play in the Euroleague on Friday night. The Italian club played CSKA tough, pushing the Russian powerhouse to the edge. The game was in Moscow, but with less than 48 hours until Sunday's tip-off, the Army Men may struggle with fatigue.

Duel
Nando De Colo (CSKA) vs. Ryan Toolson (Zenit).

Toolson was named the League MVP in October, but missed two weeks in November due to a leg injury. According to the American, he sped up his return to the court in order to be fit for the showdown against CSKA. The strategy appears to have worked. Toolson scored 15 against Vita last week and lit up PAOK for 29 points on Wednesday. Zenit needs Toolson to play like an MVP to match CSKA's loaded roster.

CSKA's Nando De Colo is playing the best basketball of his career this season. 3-point shooting, driving the paint, assists and an ability to step up in big moments: the Toolson - De Colo matchup has it all.

Quotes
CSKA head coach Dimitris Itoudis:
- This is a big game for us. Zenit is on top of the standings and has played well in the Eurocup. Our opponents have a very good team and we have a lot of respect for them. We need to bring energy after winning a tough game on Friday in the Euroleague. We will need a lot of stamina and I hope the fans support us at home.

Zenit head coach Vasily Karasev:
- Our team is in great condition. We've reached the next round of the Eurocup, which really fired us up. The only negative is that we haven't had much time to prepare for CSKA.

Against the Army Men, the most important thing is to play aggressive defense, especially man-to-man, since CSKA has so many individually talented players. We'll also have to be sharp on offense. If we take too much time, our opponent will punish us immediately.

Prediction
- Zenit is undefeated in the VTB United League, but hasn't played any top teams, - noted Russian coach Sergei Bazarevich. - I think that the CSKA - Zenit game will be an excellent test for Vasily Karasev's men. It's going to be very interesting to watch how St. Petersburg plays against the VTB United League's top favorite. I think CSKA will win since 1st place is on the line and Itoudis's men have already lost once in the league this season.