Virtus Bologna delivered a statement performance on Wednesday, cruising to an 86–68 win at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and improving to 8-8 in the EuroLeague. Partizan (6-10) suffered its first defeat under interim head coach Mirko Ocokoljic after four consecutive wins in all competitions.
The hosts led 37-30 at halftime, but a quick 0-10 run for Virtus early in the third quarter flipped the game, putting the visitors ahead for good. The momentum shift proved decisive as Virtus extended the lead to 52-63 by the end of the third quarter and dominated the fourth.
Matt Morgan led Virtus with 14 points and 5 assists, combining poise and court vision to orchestrate the attack. Derrick Alston Jr. also scored 14 points, sinking 4-of-5 three-pointers, while Carsen Edwards provided a first-quarter spark with 10 of his game-high 20 points.
Partizan struggled to find a consistent scoring answer after the turnaround; Sterling Brown led the hosts with 15 points while Duane Washington added 14. Bruno Fernando contributed 10 points, but Partizan finished with just 15 assists as ball movement lagged against Virtus’ defense.
Defensively, Virtus forced 20 turnovers and controlled the offensive glass 11-6, suffocating Partizan at crucial moments.
Jabari Parker remained sidelined, a decision confirmed by Ocokoljic post-game, while Tyrique Jones missed the match due to injury.
The victory sets Virtus up for Friday’s EuroLeague clash against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, while Partizan travels to Kaunas to face Zalgiris.
