Dana Altman provides injury updates on Oregon's Jermaine Couisnard, N'Faly Dante
Oregon has notched a pair of blowout wins in the first two rounds of the NIT, despite rolling without its three leading scorers.
As the Ducks set their sights on Tuesday’s quarterfinal matchup with Wisconsin in Eugene, there is hope within the program that two of their senior starters will be available to play.
Center N’Faly Dante and guard Jermaine Couisnard are both questionable to play against the Badgers, according to Oregon head coach Dana Altman. Both players have been sidelined since the Ducks’ Pac-12 tournament loss to UCLA on March 9 — Dante with an ankle injury, and Couisnard with a shoulder injury.
Altman was asked about the two seniors’ status following Oregon’s Sunday win over UCF and offered an uncertain response.
“I don’t know. They’ve been coming in three times a day for treatment,” Altman said. “I was hoping (the Wisconsin game would be scheduled for Wednesday) to give them another day.”
Dante leads the Ducks with 13.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game this season. Couisnard is Oregon’s second-leading scorer at 12.8 points per game.
In Dante’s absence, sophomore center Nate Bittle has delivered his two best offensive performances of the season. During Sunday’s wins over the Knights, he notched his second career double-double and finished with 21 points and 13 boards.
“They didn’t have anybody in the paint that could stop us,” Bittle said. “(Altman) said after the game that we owned them in the paint and that’s where we got them. We did a good job, came out, executed our stuff in the paint and coach always talks about inside-out threes, and I think that’s what we did tonight.”
Altman was complimentary of Bittle on Sunday and praised the form 5-star signee for setting the tone for Oregon against UCF.
“When Dante’s been out, he’s responded,” Altman said of Bittle. “It’s good to see; he’s playing with a little confidence, little air that he kind of finished the season with. I liked his effort. I thought he challenged shots inside. I thought he set a tone both halves with his rebounding.”
The Ducks are also missing starting point guard Will Richardson, who is out for the season with a hip injury, and sophomore guard Brennan Rigsby, whose season is done due to a broken finger.
With Couisnard, Richardson, and Rigsby all sidelined, Keeshawn Barthelemy is Oregon’s lone healthy, scholarship guard.
On Sunday, Barthelemy played a season-high 39 minutes and dished out eight assists.
“(Barthelemy) has done a really good job,” Altman said. “Eight assists and his turnovers all came late. … I thought defensively he did better than he’s been doing.”
