Barça 94-72 Estudiantes: Strong home win at the Palau

Barça's basketball team returned to domestic competition after the Euroleague contest against Real Madrid with a solid victory in the Palau Blaugrana, beating Estudiantes 94-72. With Nikola Mirotic absent due to illness it was Brandon Davies who led the side with 20 points in the game, Ante Tomic contributing 10 points as well. 

The first quarter and the third were the key moments for the home side in the win, the blaugranes galloping into an early 10-2 lead after just three minutes. Estudiantes fought back to make it 19-14 but a flurry of points towards the end of the opening quarter gave Barça a 30-19 lead. In the second period Pesic's team consolidated their advantage and at half time they were 12 points up at 44-32. 

In the second half the game was put beyond the visitors with an excellent third period display. A three pointer from Hanga gave Barça their biggest lead of the contest at 65-42. The final quarter saw Pesic's maintain their form until the end despite the efforts of Scrubb and Pressey in particular for Estudiantes. Barça closed out the 94-72 win which gives them a lift ahead of Euroleague contests against Fenerbahce and Maccabi Fox Tel Aviv. 

MATCH STATS 

Barça, 94

Estudiantes, 72

Barça: Delaney (6), Higgins (7), Hanga (9), Oriola (9), Tomic (10) –starting five- Davies (20), Ribas (3), Abrines (3), Smits (7), Kuric (6), Bolmaro (7), Pustovyi (7).

Estudiantes: Pressey (15), Brizuela (7), Dangubic (5), Kadji (5), Arteaga (4) –starting five- Tello Palacios (16), Vicedo, Dukan (2), Scrubb (18), Arroyo, Sow.