KLAIPEDA, Lithuania (Interstat) — Taurages will visit Neptūnas on Saturday at Svyturys Arena in Klaipeda, Lithuania, for a matchup between two clubs at different points in their current schedules. Taurages enters with a 3-5 record, while Neptūnas is 5-9. The home team will seek to use the arena setting, while Taurages will look for a second consecutive victory after its latest result.

Taurages’s most recent result was a 91-81 win at Šiauliai. Nojus Mineikis is the player to watch for Taurages. Mineikis scored 19 points in that victory and has been a consistent scorer in recent games. He had 12 points and eight rebounds against Gargzdai, 10 points and five rebounds against Rytas, and six points and two rebounds at Zalgiris Kaunas. Mineikis played 36 minutes in the win at Šiauliai. Andrii Voinalovich and Benas Griciunas also contributed in the latest win, with Voinalovich scoring 11 points and adding four assists and Griciunas adding 12. Taurages will need production across its rotation to counter Neptūnas’s home-court setting.

Neptūnas’s most recent result was a 94-79 loss at Tofas. Yannick Franke is the player to watch for Neptūnas. Franke scored 23 points in that game and has been among the team’s most productive players. He scored 19 points at Lietkabelis, 20 points against Šiauliai, and 16 points at Buducnost in recent outings. Franke played 28 minutes at Tofas. Einaras Tubutis and Martynas Echodas also contributed in the latest game, with Tubutis scoring 13 points and adding four blocks and Echodas posting 10 points and 10 rebounds. Neptūnas will look to Franke to pace the offense and help the team recover from its recent result.

The game begins a busy stretch for both clubs. Taurages is scheduled to host Panevezys next, then visit Gargzdu Gargzdai and Jonava Jonavos before home games against Zalgiris and Neptūnas. Taurages will later visit Kedainiai Nevezis, host Juventus, and travel to Lietuvos rytas and Zalgiris. Neptūnas is set to host Slask Wroclaw next, then travel to Zalgiris and Trento before hosting Jonava Jonavos. Neptūnas also has later road games at Šiauliai, Juventus, Bourg-en-Bresse and Taurages, followed by a home game against Buducnost. Neptūnas’s following games include a home date with Chemnitz before the rematch at Taurages. Both teams have several games remaining before the scheduled rematch in Taurages.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Neptūnas 93, Taurages 85. Interstat’s ELO system gives Neptūnas a 94.3 percent win probability. Neptūnas has been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -10.5, and the over/under is 171.5.