Dana Altman provides update on Oregon's four injured players

Oregon’s roster isn’t nearly as depleted by injuries as it was early in the year.

But that doesn’t mean the Ducks aren’t still missing some firepower.

Oregon (5-5, 1-1 Pac-12) is enjoying one of its best stretches of the season and has won three of its last four games. On Saturday, the Ducks notched an impressive win over a quality Nevada team in Eugene.

That recent surge has been sparked, in part, by the return of sophomore guard Brennan Rigsby, who made his season debut against Washington State on Dec. 1.

But head coach Dana Altman said Tuesday that Oregon’s four other scholarship players who are sidelined with injuries — Nate Bittle, Jermaine Couisnard, Keeshawn Barthelemy, and Ethan Butler — will not be re-entering the rotation anytime soon.

“We’re probably not going to see those guys before Christman,” Altman said. “We haven’t had them on the floor. … Hopefully, when we come back from Christmas, they’ll be able to practice. We’ve got a few days there where we can try to get some things organized.

“But I don’t anticipate anything before Christmas.”

That would mean that the Ducks will be without those four players for at least three games. Oregon is set to host UC Riverside (Dec. 14), Portland (Dec. 17), and Utah Valley (Dec. 20) before resuming Pac-12 play against Oregon State on Dec. 31.

Couisnard, a senior transfer from South Carolina, was a projected starter for the Ducks this season but has not played a game. He underwent knee in early November.

Barthelemy, a junior guard who transferred in from Colorado, began the year in the starting lineup but is dealing with a foot injury that he suffered during the Ducks’ Nov. 20 loss to Houston.

Bittle, a 7-foot sophomore center, is also dealing with a left foot injury. He has not played since Oregon’s Nov. 20 loss to Michigan State.

Ethan Butler, a redshirt freshman forward, has not played this season as he is dealing with an undisclosed injury.

Earlier in the year, Rigsby, N’Faly Dante, Tyrone Williams, and Lok Wur also missed games.

With those four now entrenched in the lineup, Oregon has been a much stronger team.

Star point guard Will Richardson has played all 40 minutes in each of the last three games and has played 199-of-200 possible minutes over the past five games.

Altman noted that Richardson will continue to see a heavy workload for the foreseeable future, but also said that the coaching staff hopes Rigsby can take on some ballhandling duties in the near future.

“We’ve got enough guys. We’ve just gotta grind through it,” Altman said. “We’re gonna have ups and downs through the season. We got a little short-handed, but I look across the country and a lot of teams are shorthanded. it is what it is.

“I’m disappointed for Keeshawn and I’m disappointed for Jermaine and I’m disappointed for guys who can’t play — Ethan and Nate. But, for the rest of the guys, it’s an opportunity to take ahold of it. We’ve gotta find a way to compete and win games.”