AЕК Larnaca secured a 73-65 victory over Würzburg 73 in the FIBA Europe Cup on Wednesday evening. The Cypriot side closed out a hard-fought contest on home court, putting together a performance that combined efficiency with composure when the game mattered most. To be fair, Würzburg never really went away, but AЕК managed to put the decisive touches in place when it counted.
The hosts built their advantage through volume inside. They attempted 61 field goals compared to Würzburg's 76, but hit 25 of their own while the visitors managed only 24 from longer range. The difference came at the free-throw line where AЕК converted 19 of 27 attempts, while Würzburg struggled from 8 of 13. By then the momentum had shifted in favour of the home side.
Rebounding told a different story. Würzburg pulled down 40 boards to AЕК's 37, with the visitors grabbing 22 offensive rebounds against just 13 for the hosts. They threw bodies in the way on the glass, but AЕК made up for it with shot protection. The home team registered 8 blocks to Würzburg's 2, closing driving lanes when the visitors tried to attack the rim.
The three-point shooting figures reveal a game decided inside the arc. Würzburg attempted 37 long-range shots and made 9, while AЕК went 4 for 20 from beyond the arc. And here's the thing — the visitors never got out of second gear offensively, but AЕК's interior presence kept things manageable. Turnovers stayed level at 9 each, so neither side gave away possession cheaply.
Personal fouls were evenly matched at 18 for AЕК and 19 for Würzburg, and steals sat at 4 apiece. The defensive intensity never dropped, but AЕК's ability to protect the basket and convert at the line proved the difference. They saw it out without letting the visitors build any meaningful cushion.
The win moves AЕК to 3 wins and 3 losses from 6 games, still sitting in third place. Würzburg's away form continues to be unpredictable after their recent string of results, including a 83-76 win over Bonn Telekom on 2 October and a 90-67 victory against Ulm. The gap between sides in this competition remains narrow, and tonight's result simply underlines that.
