Boxscores

EKATERINBURG (FIBA Women's World League) - Agnieszka Bibrzycka scored 19 points as UMMC Ekaterinburg secured a narrow 71-67 win over Mizo Pecs in their Women's World League preliminary round opening game on Monday.

The big-spending Russians dominated the opening quarter and led 25-20 after the first 10 minutes.

Mizo Pecs of Hungary fought back in the second period and reduced the deficit to just a point to trail 37-36 at the halfway stage.

The Hungarians capitalised on some poor shooting from Australian Penny Taylor in the third to take a 52-48 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Mizo's discipline deserted them when it mattered and they reached team fouls with four and a half minutes left to play.

Ekaterinburg capitalised and scored seven of their eight free-throws in the closing stages to snatch victory, Bibrzycka's three-pointer with two minutes remaining opening up a five-point gap which Mizo couldn't close.

Sandrine Gruda contributed 15 points and six rebounds for the hosts, while Zsofia Fegyvemeky, Dalma Ivanyi and Andrea Somogyi all reached double figures for Pecs.

Ekaterinburg are looking to continue the Russian domination of the women's game which Spartak Moscow and CSKA Moscow have traditionally held, but they will know they need to perform better than this to reach the semi-finals of the World League.

FIBA