CSKA Moscow avenge last season's semi-final loss to Maccabi Electra

The Russian club led 48-41 at half-time and outscored Maccabi 32-13 in the penultimate term before avoiding a late collapse - as happened in last season's semi-finals - by holding off the fast-finishing visitors.

Last season, Maccabi came from 10 points down with a quarter to play in their semi-final against CSKA to win 68-67, with the Tel Aviv-based club going on to beat Real Madrid in the final to claim their sixth Euroleague title.

But on Thursday they could not replicate that comeback in Moscow, slipping to a 1-1 win-loss record in the new continental campaign.

"We had lost against them then [last season], so of course we wanted to beat them in our first Euroleague game at home. That was motivation for all our guys," CSKA power forward Andrey Vorontsevich said.

"We improved as the game went on. We played our basketball from the defensive end and start running, and you saw the result."

Sonny Weems was the main scorer for the hosts with 18 points, while Vorontsevich (13 points, 11 rebounds) and Milos Teodosic (15, 11 assists) notched double-doubles.

For Maccabi - Brian Randle top-scored with 18 points.

The win took CSKA to the top of Group B with two victories, while Maccabi sit third behind Unicaja, who have a game in hand.

In Group C, Barcelona prevailed again " beating Olimpia Milano 78-63 - to join Fenerbahce at the top of the standings with two wins.

Barcelona led at every change to win on the road by 15 points with Alex Abrines (21 points) the main man for the visitors.

Bayern Munich denied Panathinaikos the chance to join Barcelona and Fenerbahce as undefeated teams in Group C with the Bavarians winning 81-75 at home, while in Group D Neptunas edged out Crvena Zvedza 83-81 and Galatasaray defeated Valencia 71-64.