By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
In the last game before Christmas, Bayern Munich won 79-78 over Milan and joined the tie between Olympiacos and Monaco with an 11-6 record, just half a win behind Paris (11-5).
Carsen Edwards with 25 points and Devin Booker with 23 were the leaders of the German side.
Nick Weiler-Babb had 10 points, including the free throw which decided the outcome, and 12 assists.
“It was ugly”, he admitted after the final buzzer, “but we needed a big win on the road”.
Nikola Mirotic with 18 points tried his best for Milan, Zach LeDay added 14 points, Fabien Causeur had 13 points and Josh Nebo scored 11 before getting injured once more.
Milan dropped to 9-8 after this result in a tie with Crvena Zvezda and Barcelona between the 9th and the 11th position.
A thriller in the end
Bayern started the game well, leading 26-8, but Milan managed to trim the lead to 12 at the end of the first period (26-14).
Bayern kept the lead, but it was just one point at halftime (40-39) with the Italians turning things around thanks to their defense.
The dogfight continued in the third period with Bayern again building a six-point cushion (65-59).
However, with 6.42 left, Josh Nedo tied the score at 65 and the game started all over again. With three left, a big three by Fabien Causeur gave Milan a 73-71 edge.
Edwards missed the three on the other side, and Zack LeDay made it a five-point game with a three (76-71). Still, Edwards answered back with five points to tie it all at 76 with two minutes left.
In the next play, Shields missed and with Causeur and Edwards exchanging baskets the score was tied again at 78.
With the game on the line, Edwards missed, but LeDay was called for a foul on Nick Weiler-Babb who went to the free throws line.
He made one of two (79-78) and Shields missed almost at the buzzer the chance to win the game.
Photo credit: EuroLeague