The New Zealand University basketball team has been beaten 78-42 by Russia in its first game at the Universiade 2011 at Shenzen, China.
The much taller Russian team was virtually the same side which lost to the Tall Blacks in the Stankovic Cup final.
New Zealand trailed by only nine at half time but ad several players with injury problems or in foul trouble in the second half.
New Zealand's next game is against Japan.
