Zenit vs MBA. Showdown at the top of the VTB United League table

November 21 on the basketball court of the Sibur Arena sports complex in St. Petersburg, the match of the 11th round of the VTB United League 2022/23 between the local Zenit and the capital's IBA will start.

• Expert Predictions Analysis
• Zenit vs MBA facts
• History of the confrontation
• Odds
• Game Totals Prediction

Our Expert Predictions & Analysis on Zenit vs MBA

Zenit

Pitertsy are confident in the tournament, but not perfect. The reigning champion of the VTB United League is currently third in the table with seven wins in nine meetings. Zenit lost only to CSKA and UNICS, which, respectively, are currently higher in the final protocol. The updated composition of the St. Petersburg team is still being played, and it will definitely add in the course of the season. If we talk about the “blue-white-blue” roster at the end of November 2022, then he can beat everyone except very strong competitors (Euroleague level). MBA is not one of the named rivals.

Basketball players from the banks of the Neva are regularly included in the VTB United League Team of the Week 2022/23. Thomas Wimbush got into the extreme symbolic top five of the tournament. He is the hero of the most important and most difficult victory of the team in Krasnodar in the last match of the competition. The guy that day scored a double-double of 16 points and ten rebounds, and he has four interceptions. In general, Zenith has more than enough bright basketball players in any of the playing positions. Plus, we must not forget that the team is led by the brilliant Pascual, who does his job very well.

MBA

The rookie of the tournament was daring. Now Muscovites are in fourth place in the overall standings of the championship. MBA basketball players got seven victories in ten meetings. They were beaten in the season only by CSKA, UNICS and PARMA. If it were not for the negative result with the Permians, then everything would be 99% perfect. By the way, there is not a single legionnaire in the MBA, and this is very cool, but returning to the topic of the above-mentioned defeats, it is worth saying that they went in a row. A certain decline in the team, fortunately, has already been overcome.

Evgeny Voronov was awarded a place in the top five of the last round of the VTB United League. In the match against Yenisei, he has 23 points, three assists for partners and the same number of successful interceptions.

History of the confrontation

The teams have so far only one common match in their history. It took place on September 17, 2022 as part of the semi-finals of the Gomel Cup. St. Petersburg in that meeting were stronger (67:59), taking three out of four game segments (19:13; 13:19; 18:12 and 17:15).

Odds from download 1xbet

Zenit are one of the favourites in the tournament and the bookmakers believe in them. Only 1.19 is bet on the home team to win. A win for the Moscow side is priced at 4.9. Bets on Total Under 157.5 are multiplied by 1.89. A breakthrough of this bar is priced at 1.87. The odds on Handicap 1 (-9) are 1.7. Install the 1xbet app and place a bet on the favorite!

Game Totals Prediction

The IBA basketball players are very impressive in the first part of the tournament. They are skilled, motivated and energetic, but there are some games they can never win. The trip to St. Petersburg is just such a case. The opponents, objectively, are superior to the Muscovites in class. The visitors will lose (Victory 1), but they will actively try to get back into the game. This will ensure big numbers on the scoreboard in the end (Total more than 157.5) and will help the club to avoid an absolutely fierce defeat, although the Mba will definitely fall behind on three attacks from the Petersburgers - a handicap of 1 (-9). For Muscovites this result will be negative, but they will show decent basketball.