### Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse head coach Laurent Legname:

"At Bursaspor it was already an important game for us but vital for them. This time it's this game against Ulm which is really vital for us. We're going to do everything to make a hold up and continue to look ahead, with the next phase."

### Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse Pierre Pelos:

"Ulm is a very physical team, we had a lot of problems in the first round against them with a lot of intensity. We have to catch up and if possible beat them and take back the point average. By winning, we continue to believe in our chances of qualifying. We won in the French league on Saturday, it did us good, it gives us a little confidence so we hope to start a series of wins."

Pre-game quotes: Bourg vs. Ulm

Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse v ratiopharm Ulm (2022-03-22T19:00:00.000Z)

Pierre Pelos - Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse - EC21

### Slask Wroclaw player Jakub Karolak:

"I think we are in really good shape, but Partizan is a high-class team with a strong roster. It will be a very tough game for us, but if we do our best, we can try to surprise everybody. They have an amazing history and a great coach, so I hope it will be a great show and our fans will really like it." 

### Partizan NIS Belgrade head coach Zeljko Obradovic: 

"The fact that we played a very tough game against them in Belgrade is calling for a very serious approach to our next clash. We have to realize that despite the position on the table in both competitions we play, there are no easy opponents. Slask is a very specific team as they play pick and roll defense in a very special way, and that is the most important thing in our pre-game preparation. Everything else is more or less well-known to us. We have to play 40 minutes in the rhythm which will enable us to win the game."

### Partizan NIS Belgrade player Alen Smailagic: 

"My opinion is that we can't loosen up. We played a few good games recently, but we are a young team and I hope that we will not loosen up. I hope that experience of our coach will get us back on track in case we allow ourselves to  loosen up. We are a much better team than we used to be in our first game against Slask and I hope we will get the win we need to lift up our form tight before the end of the league part of the season in both competitions we play."

Pre-game quotes: Slask vs. Partizan

Slask Wroclaw v Partizan NIS Belgrade (2022-03-22T17:45:00.000Z)

Zeljko Obradovic - Partizan NIS Belgrade (photo Dragana Stjepanovic - Partizan) - EC21

Group B leader Gran Canaria will go for a regular-season sweep of third-place Buducnost VOLI Podgorica in a game with major playoff-seeding implications.

Keys to victory: Gran Canaria vs. Buducnost

### Gran Canaria needs a win on the glass

It will be imperative for Gran Canaria to win the rebounding battle. The two teams are below-average in rebounding, with Buducnost ranking 13th (34.8 rpg.) and Gran Canaria 14th (14.7 rpg.) this season. But Buducnost has won seven of eight games when it had an advantage on the glass. When they met earlier this season in Podgorica, Gran Canaria dominated the boards, outrebounding Buducnost 41-34 and also 15-9 on the offensive glass en route to a 76-83 win. Gran Canaria will need to do the same in this game.

### Buducnost to keep turnovers low

Buducnost commits the third-fewest turnovers this season (11.9 per game), but its veteran backcourt will be put to the test against Gran Canaria's opportunistic defense, which forces the second-most turnovers (15.6 per game) and ranks second in steals (8.9 spg.). On a court where it has never won, Buducnost must take good care of the basketball, which is one way to minimize Gran Canaria's fastbreak opportunities.

Vladimir Micov - Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (photo Buducnost) - EC21

Gran Canaria v Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (2022-03-23T20:00:00.000Z)

Boulogne Metropolitans 92 will try to protect its home court when it welcomes Group A leader Joventut Badalona on Wednesday.

Keys to victory: Metropolitans vs. Joventut

### Metropolitans must control the paint

Metropolitans were grounded last week in Belgrade, where its five-game winning streak was snapped as the team was held to just 41 points through three quarters in a blowout loss. More importantly than re-igniting its offense, however, Metropolitans will need to make sure it wins battles in the paint against Joventut's deep frontcourt. Holding Joventut to low two-point percentages and controlling the boards could go a long way to getting back to winning for Metropolitans.

### Joventut needs to ride its defense

Joventut sports the EuroCup's best defense, which has allowed just 69.5 points per game, nearly 6 points fewer than the next-best team. Joventut is also coming off a game in which it held Lietkabelis to just 50 points, its lowest defensive mark ever in 120 games in the EuroCup. Against a good and balanced offensive team like Metropolitans, which loves to run, it will be Joventut's defensive performance that will give the team the best chance to win.

David Michineau - Boulogne Metropolitans 92 - (photo David Grau - Joventut) EC21

Boulogne Metropolitans 92 v Joventut Badalona (2022-03-23T19:30:00.000Z)

Red-hot Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana will look to extend its five-game winning streak and clinch a playoff berth when it hosts slumping Umana Reyer Venice.

Keys to victory: Cedevita vs. Reyer

### Fast-pace basketball favors Cedevita 

Cedevita has averaged 96.6 points during its current winning streak and that number has been even higher (97.7 ppg.) at home. Reyer has not scored more than 80 in its last four games and is averaging just 72.7 points scored during its current losing streak. In fact, Reyer has not scored 90 points all season. If Cedevita’s guards can control the pace and push the ball, its chances to grab another win and secure a ticket to the next stage rise. 

### Forcing turnovers could be Reyer’s key 

Reyer is among the best teams in the EuroCup at forcing turnovers and stealing the ball, raking third with 14.8 and 7.9 per game, respectively. And Cedevita’s 14.7 turnovers per game are third-most in the competition. If the Reyer guards can hound their Cedevita counterparts, disrupting the home team’s attack and generating points off turnovers, it could turn this game around. 

Melvin Ejim - Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (photo Alessandro Scarpa - Reyer) - EC21

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana v Umana Reyer Venice (2022-03-23T19:00:00.000Z)

Last-place Group B team Promitheas Patras hosts Virtus Segafredo Bologna as both teams try to bounce back from Round 15 losses.

Keys to victory: Promitheas vs. Virtus

### Promitheas has to share the ball

Promitheas has one of the lowest-scoring offenses in the EuroCup this season; only two teams average fewer than its 73.9 points. However, Promitheas moves the ball exceptionally well and on its low-scoring average manages 18.4 assists, which is ninth-best in the competition. To keep up against the offensive juggernaut that is Virtus, Promitheas’s players will need to continue sharing the ball and feeding one another for good looks.

### Virtus needs more aggressive defense

Virtus averages a competition high 22.6 assists and scores the fourth-most points (85.1 ppg.), but it will be Virtus’s defense that will need to get the job done this week. Virtus allows 84.5 points and has not won a game this season where it scored fewer than 83 points. Virtus also lets opponents grab 12.0 offensive rebounds per contest. Virtus will need to be more aggressive defensively and more decisive on the defensive glass to limit the hosts' second-chance opportunities.

Milos Teodosic - Virtus Segafredo Bologna (photo Virtus) - EC21

Promitheas Patras v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2022-03-23T17:15:00.000Z)

Two teams in good form meet when Frutti Extra Bursaspor hosts Valencia Basket. A win for the visitors clinches home-court advantage for the first knock-out stage. 

Keys to victory: Bursaspor vs. Valencia

### Rebounding well may be critical for Bursaspor

Bursaspor has won its last two games and its last four at home. Despite some roster turnover, Bursaspor has played well on offense and reached 80 points in each of its last seven games. The combination of few turnovers (11.7 per game are second-fewest in the competition) and excellent three-point shooting (39.1%, third-best in EuroCup) has fueled the team, however, it must also rebound well against Valencia, the EuroCup leader with 40.0 boards per game. Valencia has outrebounded opponents by 8.9 per game and Bursaspor has been outrebounded by 2.2. 

### Scoring in the paint could boost Valencia 

Valencia, which has won three straight games, is 5-2 on the road this season. It has found success inside and that may be the way to take down Bursaspor. Valencia has made 56.0% of its two-point shots this season, which is fifth-best in the competition. Bursaspor has allowed opponents to make 57.0% of twos against it. Strong play from Mike Tobey, Bojan Dubljevic and Jaime Pradilla in the paint could make the difference this week.

Frutti Extra Bursaspor v Valencia Basket (2022-03-23T17:00:00.000Z)

Mike Tobey - Valencia Basket (photo Miguel Angel Polo - Valencia) - EC21

Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse hosts ratopharm Ulm in Round 15. It is a critical game for both teams in a race to reach the knock-out rounds from Group B. 

Keys to victory: Bourg vs. Ulm

### Bourg needs to limit its turnovers 

Bourg comes off a tough loss against Frutti Extra Bursaspor in which it shot the ball well, hitting 21 of 31 two-pointers (67.7% 2FG) and 12 of 17 three-pointers (70.6%). However, Bourg committed 18 turnovers – which was twice as many as Bursaspor – and it needs to take much better care of the ball against a high-tempo team like ratiopharm Ulm. Bourg is the runaway leader in three-point shooting (43.5% 3FG) but is at the bottom of the standings in offensive rebounds (7.6 orpg.), so there is room for improvement. 

### Time for Ulm’s stars to step up 

Ulm is currently on a four-game losing streak in which the team has struggled on defense, allowing 91.5 points on average. In the previous four games, Ulm had allowed 70.0 points. In Round 15, Gran Canaria outrebounded Ulm 29-40, pulling down 19 offensive boards. Without Cristiano Felicio, Philipp Herkenhoff should see most of the minutes at the center spot, facing a key matchup against Pierre Pelos. Semaj Christon, Jaron Blossomgame and Fedor Zugic should look for advantages in one-on-one situations. If Ulm's stars step up, it should be closer to a critical win.

Jaron Blossomgame - ratioharm Ulm (photo Larry Langer - Ulm) - EC21

Slask Wroclaw hosts Partizan NIS Belgrade in Round 16. It will be Partizan's first visit to Wroclaw since 2003. 

Keys to victory: Slask vs. Partizan

### Slask needs to find Dziewa, Kanter 

Slask is 3-0 when allowing 71 points or less and 0-11 when allowing more than 71 points. It ranks 19th in two-point shooting percentage (46.6%), so getting its big men involved around the baskets should improve those numbers. Aleksander Dziewa and Kerem Kanter have stepped up lately. Dziewa has averaged 23.0 points and a PIR of 27.5 in the last two games, and Kanter is the competition's leading rebounder at 8.9 per night. Slask should be smart in double-team situations to find better one-on-one opportunities for Travis Trice and Ivan Ramljak. 

### Partizan wants to bounce back on the road 

Partizan is on a four-game road losing streak, allowing 92.8 points in that span. In its last four home games, Partizan has allowed just 71.0 points. Coach Zeljko Obradovic's team needs to protect its paint better in road games, as it is allowing opponents to make 57.0% of their two-point shots, compared to 49.3% at home. Partizan should use its size advantage in the paint, too. Mathias Lessort and Balsa Koprivica face the challenge of stopping Kanter and Dziewa. Not allowing Travis Trice to control the game tempo could be a key for the visitors, too. 

Balsa Koprivica - Partizan NIS Belgrade (photo Dragana Stjepanovic - Partizan) - EC21