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may 17 2026MURCIA. Unicaja suffered another damaging loss in a crucial Liga Endesa matchday, falling decisively to UCAM Murcia 87-69 in a game decided from the opening quarter. The Málaga side conceded 35 points in the first ten minutes, a burden too heavy against one of the league's most solid teams, and moves further away from the top eight playoff positions.
The game was decided from the start. UCAM Murcia came out with far more energy, punished every defensive lapse from Unicaja and turned the opening quarter into an exercise in absolute superiority. The 35-17 scoreline after the first ten minutes explained much of the game: local rhythm, Murcia's accuracy and too many easy opportunities handed to a Unicaja side unable to stop the initial onslaught.
Unicaja attempted a comeback in the second quarter and managed to get back into the game with better stretches of focus. Ibon Navarro's team offered a competitive response, tightened their defense and found scoring avenues to cut into a deficit that already looked dangerous. However, the poor start continued to weigh heavily and UCAM Murcia maintained control of the game.
After halftime, the Málaga team sought to sustain that reaction, but never quite found the consistency needed to completely change the script. Each Unicaja comeback attempt found a local response, and UCAM Murcia knew how to play with the advantage built from the opening quarter, managing the pace and preventing the Málaga side from truly entering winning form.
The final stretch brought more frustration for Unicaja. When the game demanded one last push to tighten the scoreline, the team deflated and UCAM Murcia took advantage to seal the victory with authority. The eighteen-point defeat reflects another step backward for a Málaga team still struggling to find stability in Liga Endesa.
Augustine Rubit was Unicaja's leading scorer, a stat that also summarizes the team's current difficulties in finding consistent standout performers within its main rotation. Ibon Navarro's team remains outside the playoff positions and sees its margin for error shrinking in the final stretch of the regular season.
UCAM Murcia, meanwhile, confirmed its status as a team firmly established in the upper reaches of the standings and once again demonstrated a competitive solidity that contrasts sharply with the struggles of an increasingly pressured Unicaja.
