ESB Lille Metropole threw a big scare into CSKA Moscow in France on Wednesday but weren't able to put the Russian giants away and suffered an 88-79 defeat.

Abdou N'Diaye's team led CSKA 70-68 with 6:49 remaining when the visitors' naturalised Russian, American Becky Hammon, struck with a three-pointer.

Katie Douglas then followed with a jump shot before Hammon, a bronze-medal winner at the Olympics with the Russians in the summer, hit another three for a 76-70 advantage.

CSKA kept their noses in front the rest of the way in claiming a fourth victory in six games.

Hammon finished with 18 points, five assists and four rebounds while Ann Wauters scored 23 and hauled in 11 boards.

Geraldine Robert scored 16 points and had 11 rebounds for Lille Metropole.

"We are very frustrated because we had a fabulous game and I think that we deserved the victory tonight," Robert said.

Iziane had 25 points for Lille.

Abdou N'Diaye (ESBVA-LM):

"This is an important deception for the girls because we made our best game in this Euroleague and we were ahead all during the game. But we lost balls and offensive rebounds at the end which permitted Moscow to win. I have regrets because Moscow won because of our mistakes."

Géraldine Robert (ESBVA-LM):

"We are very frustrated because we made a fabulous game and I think that we deserved the victory tonight. But I am happy of our comportment because before the game I wasn't sure that we could play as well"