Lokomotiv Kuban 2 vs Yuzhnyi Slon: match preview on 16 September 2026

Lokomotiv Kuban 2 are favourites for this Russian Cup meeting. They have won three of their last five matches while Yuzhnyi Slon have managed only one victory in the same period. The home side's recent 74:64 win over Dynamo MGTU in the Cup demonstrates they can perform when it matters, and their superior scoring average gives them the edge.

Recent form

Lokomotiv Kuban 2's results show a team capable of winning on the road. Their three victories came against Dynamo MGTU (74:64 away), Metallurg (73:69 away) and Bars Rostov (89:79 away). The two defeats were both at home, against Bars Rostov (54:75) and Dynamo Grozny (69:79). They have scored 359 points and conceded 366 across those five games.

Yuzhnyi Slon's record tells a different story. Four defeats in five matches include heavy losses to Titany Volgograd (75:93), BC Moscow (52:95) and Parma Perm (70:72), all at home. Their solitary win came away at Dynamo MGTU (84:68). They have scored 348 points and conceded 400 in the same span.

Head-to-head

The only meeting between these sides in the records came on 19 September 2025, when Yuzhnyi Slon won 77:69 at home in the Russian Cup. The fixture is scheduled for 24 October 2025 at the Lokomotiv Arena. Lokomotiv Kuban 2's current form suggests they would not lose that fixture today.

Scoring patterns

Both teams have shown defensive vulnerability. Lokomotiv Kuban 2's average of 71.8 points scored per game exceeds Yuzhnyi Slon's 69.6, while the home side has also allowed fewer points (73.2 per game versus 80.0). The gap in defensive stability could prove decisive in a Cup match where margins are tight.

Conditions for reversal

Lokomotiv Kuban 2 win only if they replicate the 84:68 away at Dynamo MGTU.

Lokomotiv Kuban 2 have the form, the home advantage, and the better defensive record. Lokomotiv Kuban 2 to win.