Oregon will be without at least two starters for first-round NIT matchup

When the Oregon men’s basketball program opens NIT play on Wednesday, it will be missing some serious firepower.

While meeting with reporters on Tuesday, Oregon head coach Dana Altman said the Ducks will be without their two starting guards — seniors Will Richardson and Jermaine Couisnard — when they face off with UC Irvine at Matthew Knight Arena.

Richardson has been battling a hip injury over the past few weeks, while Couisnard suffered a shoulder injury during Oregon’s loss to UCLA in the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament on March 10.

All-conference center N’Faly Dante is questionable to play at this point after suffering an ankle injury against Washington State on March 9.

“We are gonna be shorthanded. … Jermaine is out with his shoulder,” Altman said “He had a partial separation against UCLA and actually played with it for a while. He’s out. Will is gonna be out — he’s got a hip problem. We’re hopeful Dante is gonna be able to play. He hasn’t been able to get his ankle right.

“I’m not sure who we’re gonna have, but we’re definitely gonna be without our two starting guards.”

Altman asked if Couisnard or Richardson could potentially return if the Ducks make a deep run through the tournament. He said there’s a possibility Couisnard could play again this season but doesn’t think Richardson will be able to.

“(Richardson) has been playing with it for a long time,” Altman said. “He has fought the whole year to get healthy; he’s missed a lot of practices trying to get ready for games. He went in for an MRI and they’re not gonna let him play. But he has fought it all year and tried to battle through it. I admire him for that. … But it was really bothering him.”

Dante (13.4 points per game) Couisnard (12.8) and Richardson (12.2) are the Ducks’ three leading scorers this season.

Richardson leads the Ducks with 5.1 assists per game but has drawn heavy criticism from a sector of Oregon’s fan base after a string of inconsistent offensive performances in recent weeks.

Over the past eight games, Richardson has scored in double-digits just twice. He was held to five points in a pivotal Feb. 11 loss to UCLA and did not score a point in a road loss to Washington three days later.

Couisnard missed the first 15 games of the season due to a left knee injury and has been one of the Ducks’ more impactful players since returning to the lineup in January.

“I knew something was wrong because he kept rubbing that shoulder and asked to come out,” Altman said. “That’s the first time he’s asked to come out all year.”

The Ducks will also be without sophomore combo guard Brennan Rigsby, who was ruled out for the season on Feb. 26 due to a broken finger.

With Couisnard, Richardson, and Rigsby sidelined, junior Keeshawn Barthelemy will be the Ducks’ lone scholarship point guard. Walk-ons Brady Paris and Gabe Reichle are expected to see significant playing time when the Ducks host UC Irvine Wednesday at 8 p.m. in Eugene.

“It’s that time of year,” Altman said. “A lot of teams are banged up. So, it’s a great opportunity for some of our other guys to get out there and battle and see what they can do.”