Houston plays the way Dana Altman wants Oregon to play.
The No. 3 Cougars have the talent, length, speed, shooting ability and defensive and rebounding tenacity to play with any team in the country. The Ducks may get to that point, particularly when fully healthy, but short-handed they’re several steps shy of being able to knock off one of the nation’s elite juggernauts.
N’Faly Dante had 16 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks for Oregon in a 66-56 loss to Houston Sunday night at Matthew Knight Arena.
Marcus Sasser had 16 points, freshman Terrance Arceneaux had a season-high 15 points and Jamal Shead had 13 for Houston (5-0), which converted 16 UO turnovers into 30 points and shot 50% from three-point range.
Will Richardson had 13 and Quincy Guerrier scored 11 of his 12 in the second half for the Ducks (2-2), who went on a 12-2 run to cut a 16-point deficit with 7:20 to go down to 60-54 with 2:36 to go. But Sasser hit a three from the right corner and Tramon Mark converted a three-point play to seal the win.
Richardson had seven turnovers with just two assists and Guerrier was 1 of 7 from three and had four turnovers but no rebounds or assists.
Oregon shot just 38.8% from the field including 13.6% (3 of 22) from three. The Ducks won the rebounding battle (37-28) but it didn’t capitalize as UH had the edge in second-chance points.
Already without projected starting guards Jermaine Couisnard (knee) and Brennan Rigsby (foot), Oregon lost starter Keeshawn Barthelemy to an apparent left foot injury minutes before half. Barthelemy returned to UO’s bench midway through the second half wearing a walking boot.
The Oregonian/OregonLive will update this story.
