Ros Sweep Galatasaray

Eshaya Murphy dropped 20 points on Galatasaray as Ros Casares confirmed their good form

Maya Moore was relatively quiet in her first three games with Ros Casares but with first place in Group A of the EuroLeague Women on the line, she exploded.

The USA international poured in 17 first-quarter points and had 22 of her team-high 26 by half-time in leading Ros Casares past Galatasaray, 98-80.

For the second time this season, Ros Casares beat Galatasaray like a drum.

They won the first encounter in Istanbul on November 23, 76-46.

Moore, going up against her World Championship teammates Diana Taurasi and Tina Charles, hit four of her seven shots from long range in the first half and Sancho Lyttle added 11 along with five rebounds.

Moore was terrific, but Ros Casares were outstanding as a team.

Lyttle and Ann Wauters were combative in the paint while Eshaya Murphy had a huge second half when scoring all 20 of her points.

Despite Moore's early burst, Gala cut a 26-18 deficit at the end of the opening quarter to 26-24 after Charles sparked a 6-0 run with two baskets.

Laia Palau came off the bench for the hosts and drilled a three-ball, but Taurasi maneuvered her way into the lane, floated and scored while drawing a foul by Isabelle Yacoubou.

She made the free-throw for the three-point play.

A Charles drive again cut the Ros lead to 31-29, but Lauren Jackson answered with a three-point play and not long after, the Australian nailed a three-ball.

Ros finished the first half stronger.

Moore, who rested for several minutes, re-entered the contest and drilled a three-pointer for a 51-41 Ros Casares lead.

That shot ignited a 7-0 run and Ros ended up taking a 57-44 advantage to the break with Jana Vesela hitting a jumper at the end of the first half.

Ros Casares delivered the knockout in the third quarter, outscoring the Turkish club 26-12 for an 83-56 lead.

Moore had her 26 points by the end of the third period, having played 24 minutes.

Gala had the better of the exchanges in the fourth quarter, closing the gap to 85-70 when Taurasi buried a three from the top of the key.

But the hosts were never in real danger of losing their lead.

Charles and Taurasi are all-star performers and Epiphanny Prince is a player that can score. She had 21 points.

But with a Alba Torrens' season cut short by a serious knee injury on January 19, someone else has to step for the Turkish club if they are going to realize their dream of a European crown.

Galatasaray rely heavily on Charles and Taurasi, who had 17 points apiece in the first half - 77% of their team's output.

Taurasi finished with 28 points but fouled out when called for a charge on a drive to the basket with 1:30 to play.

Charles had 23 points and six rebounds.

Quotes Ros Casares vs. Galatasaray

Roberto Íñiguez, Ros Casares head coach
"I think we've been very good in the third quarter, with a lot of level. In the last quarter the players were a little tired and we've stopped to play well. It won't to happen and, we can't stop to play and defend tough."

Galatasaray head coach Ceyhun Yildizoglu
"We played against a very good team. They're strong, they have a lot of good players, inside and outside. At the beginning we couldn't stop Maya Moore, she really played good, especially in the first quarter."

Ros Casares forward Jana Veselá
"It's very difficult to defend Diana Taurasi. She's a very good player and very tough. Today all the team played very well, all players played a very good game. I think we showed today that this is a very good team and the fans enjoyed the game a lot."

Galatasaray guard Diana Taurasi
"Ros Casares have played a very good level of basketball. Now we have to improve for the Final Eight. If you want to win the Euroleague you have to play against the best team before or after. Maybe in the third game against Ros Casares we'll have more luck".