Olympiacos Piraeus left Virtus Arena on Friday night with a result few teams have managed this season, holding on for a 97-94 EuroLeague victory over Virtus Bologna.
The Reds controlled the game for three quarters before enduring a tense finish, becoming only the second visiting side to defeat Virtus on its home floor this season.
Olympiacos improved to 10-7 in the standings with its second straight win, while the Italian club dropped to 8-10 after suffering just its second home loss of the campaign.
The visitors built a commanding cushion through rebounding dominance and efficient shot-making, taking a 77-60 lead into the fourth quarter despite committing twice as many turnovers at that point.
Olympiacos finished with a 40-19 edge on the glass, including a decisive 14-6 advantage in offensive rebounds, which repeatedly generated extra possessions.
Through the first 30 minutes, the Greek side converted 66.7 percent of its two-point attempts and 45.6 percent from beyond the arc, consistently creating open looks within the offense.
The standout development came from Evan Fournier, who delivered his best performance of the season with 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting from three-point range.
Fournier’s seven three-pointers marked a EuroLeague career high and matched his season-best scoring output for the second consecutive game.
Olympiacos appeared in full control late in the third quarter when a sequence featuring Sasha Vezenkov, Fournier and Nikola Milutinov pushed the lead to 77-57.
The momentum shifted sharply in the fourth quarter, as Virtus outscored Olympiacos 34-20 and threatened to complete a remarkable comeback.
With Carsen Edwards sidelined by an ankle injury, the hosts leaned on the backcourt trio of Matt Morgan, Luca Vildoza and veteran Daniel Hackett to apply constant pressure.
Milutinov stabilized the situation with a critical tip-in on his fifth offensive rebound, while Fournier drilled his seventh three with 1:22 remaining to restore a five-point margin.
Tyler Dorsey sealed the outcome with a tough mid-range jumper in the final seconds.
Dorsey and Fournier each scored 21 points, Vezenkov added 16, Milutinov posted 13 points, nine rebounds and five assists, and Alec Peters finished with 13.
Olympiacos now turns its attention to the Greek derby against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens next Friday, while Virtus hosts EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on the same day.
