CSKA Moscow came back from a 56-67 deficit with two minutes remaining to secure a dramatic 72-71 home victory over Lottomatica Roma in their Top 16 opener.

Trajan Langdon drilled a three-pointer as time expired to hand the 2006 Euroleague champions the come from behind one-point victory and their 25th consecutive home win. "The Alaskan Assassin" led all scorers with 22 points, finishing the night 7-for-13 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free throw line.

Greek guard Theodoros Papaloukas added 16 points for the home side on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting from the field including two three-pointers.

After taking the lead in the second quarter the visitors did not trail in the Group G opener until Langdon's last-second heroics.

Erazem Lorbek, who led the visitors with 13 points, had seemed to ice the game after making a pair of free throws with 44 seconds remaining to give Roma a 69-64 advantage.

But Papaloukas and Langdon hit a pair of baskets to draw CSKA within two points.

Ibrahim Jaaber then dropped a chance to secure a three-point lead missing at the free throw line with less than five seconds remaining. The subsequent rebound was tipped to J.R. Holden who fed Langdon for the wide open 23-foot-long game winner.

"I wouldn't say I was lucky to make the last three-pointer," the former Duke star said. "I had a good shot, stood well on my feet and I knew I could make it. So it's not luck."

In Group E Tau Ceramica earned a critical away win over rivals Lietuvos Rytas with an 84-81 victory in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Hollis Price led all scorers with 23 points for the hosts, but Tiago Splitter scored a team leading 17 points and added five rebounds to help guide his side to triumph.

Defending champions Panathinaikos, meanwhile, cruised past Efes Pilsen 74-64 in their Top 16 Group D opener in Istanbul.

It was a one-man show for the home side as Drew Nicholas scored a game-leading 29 points with the visiting Greens' brutal defence able to contain nearly everyone else for Efes.

Panathinaikos gain a critical edge toward reaching the quarter-finals thanks to the opening road win.

Jeremy Stahl / Eurosport