Utah guard Wilguens Exacte Jr. (11) is defended by Oregon guard Brennan Rigsby (4) and center Nate Bittle (32) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Andy Nelson)
Eugene, Ore. • Jermaine Couisnard scored 18 points and Oregon beat Utah 68-56 on Saturday night for its 11th straight win in the series.
Couisnard was 7-of-14 shooting and had five rebounds and four assists. He has scored nine-plus points in each of his three games since returning from a left knee injury.
Will Richardson added 12 points and seven assists for Oregon (13-9, 7-4 Pac-12). N’Faly Dante grabbed 10 rebounds to go with nine points. Couisnard and Richardson combined for 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting and had three 3s in the second half for the Ducks.
Lazar Stefanovic scored 14 points for Utah (15-8, 8-4), which ended a three-game win streak. Branden Carlson, the Utes’ leading scorer, had 13 points. Carlson was 2 of 14 from the floor and missed all six of his 3-point attempts but was 9 of 10 from the line and had eight rebounds. Utah finished 16 of 57 (28%) from the field. Stefanovic made four of the Utes’ eight 3-pointers.
The Ducks took the lead about seven minutes into the game and led 35-26 at halftime, shooting 50%. Dante had eight points in the half. Consecutive 3s from Stefanovic and Wilguens Exacte Jr. pulled Utah within 47-40, but the Utes didn’t get closer.
Utah hosts Stanford on Thursday while Oregon plays at sixth-ranked Arizona.