Lyon-Villeurbanne beat Rouen 96-77 in the LNB competition on Saturday evening. The hosts carried the side throughout, building a lead that Rouen could never really threaten. It was the sort of performance that keeps them in contention for a higher spot in the table.
The result extends Lyon-Villeurbanne's recent good run. They had won their last two league games — 98-96 against Paris Basket and 70-65 over Gravelines-Dunkerque — before two heavy defeats to Valencia and Panathinaikos in early October. The win against Rouen brings a sense of stability back to their campaign.
Rouen's form has been patchy of late. They lost 78-80 to Antibes in their most recent outing and were beaten 59-81 by Paris Basket earlier in the month. They had managed victories against Nanter 92 and Bulazac, but those results looked less convincing now. The gap between them and the top half of the table grows wider.
As for the prediction, we called for a home win with 70 per cent confidence. Things came to a head quickly, and Lyon-Villeurbanne made sure they couldn't afford another slip. The visitors were left flat-footed from the start and never really found their rhythm.
In the standings, Lyon-Villeurbanne remain in fourth place with 20 wins from 30 games. Rouen sit further down, and the result means the hosts tighten things up in their push for the playoffs. The table goes out of the window in these games, but consistency now matters more than ever.
