Racing Luxembourg controlled proceedings in Mondercan., winning 52-36 over BC Mess after building a lead early and never letting it go. The visitors opened on an 8-0 run behind the inside presence of Olivia Hoffmann (1.85m, 28), whose seven made two-pointers powered a 14-point night. Racing's defense set the tone, holding Mess to 5, 7 and 8 points in the first three quarters for a 26-12 halftime cushion and 38-20 after three.
Coach Kubis' team won the game inside: Racing made 19 two-point field goals to Mess's 9 (38-18 in points from twos), needing just one three-pointer all night (Jil Mathis, Season PPG: 7.5). Juliana De Sousa Coelho (29, PRT) added 12 points and closed the door at the line with a perfect fourth quarter, while captain Marie-Lou Haentges (8 pts) and Jil Schmit (7 pts) chipped in. Racing's largest lead hit +24 at 48-24 in the fourth.
Mess found some rhythm late. Caroline Pantaleoni (Season PPG: 11.13) scored 11, mostly from the stripe, and Hannah Pauly (Season PPG: 6.63) added 9. Lynn Thilges (Season PPG: 11.33) supplied the team's only two triples. A mid-fourth 7-0 spurt (Pauly and Hellers inside, Thilges in transition) trimmed it to 31-48, but De Sousa Coelho calmly answered with free throws and Hoffmann kept finishing at the rim.
Discipline on both sides kept key players on court despite fouls (Hoffmann played through four). Coach Santiago Janeiro's Mess did win the free-throw battle in makes (12 to Racing's 11), yet the gap in two-point conversions proved decisive.
In the table, Racing climbs to 3rd (7-3), while Mess remains 12th and still searching for a first win (0-8).
(AI generated)