PROVO, Utah – An aggressive BYU offense led the Cougars to a 96-70 victory over West Coast Conference foe Portland Saturday night in the Marriott Center.

BYU vs. Portland Box Score

BYU Postgame Notes

"I'm really proud of the guys," BYU head coach Mark Pope said. "It is crucial to who we are to have many contributors and there are so many guys to talk about tonight."

BYU shot 52.1 percent in field goals and 50.0 percent from beyond the arc. Zac Seljaas led all players with 21 points while hitting 5 of 5 from 3-point range. Dalton Nixon and TJ Haws both recorded their first career double-doubles. Nixon scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while Haws recorded 13 points while dishing out a career-best 14 assists – two off the BYU single-game record. Jake Toolson also scored in double figures, scoring 12 points while tying his season high with eight assists.

The Cougars quickly pulled away at the start of the first half with a 15-0 run going a perfect 6 for 6 from the field with seven points coming from Nixon. Portland scored its first basket five minutes in, bringing the score to 15-2. Seljaas hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions, extending the BYU lead to 24-2 six minutes into the half.

The Pilots came within 10 points at 33-23 after a 13-2 run, but the BYU offense continued to pull away. Back-to-back baskets from Alex Barcello and a trey from Connor Harding increased the lead to 40-23 with 5:34 left in the half. A shot from beyond the arc by Trevin Knell ended the Cougars’ two-minute scoring drought and a jumper from Nixon closed out the first half with BYU up 51-30.

Coming out of the break, the Cougars held onto the lead at 53-39 despite a 9-2 run from the Pilots. Seljaas drained a 3, bringing BYU to 60 points, while Portland sat at 45 points five minutes into the second half. The Pilots came within seven points at 62-55 after a 9-2 run.

With 10 minutes left in the game, the Cougars took off on a 17-2 run, with baskets from Seljaas and Haws, and led Portland 82-59. With three minutes remaining, Barcello hit a trey, pushing BYU beyond 90 points and extending the Cougar lead to 91-65. BYU closed out the game leading the Pilots by 26 points at 96-70.

Up next, the Cougars remain at home to host WCC foe San Diego on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on BYUtv and radio broadcasts will be available on BYU Radio Sirius XM 143/89.1 FM and KSL 102.7 FM/1160 AM. Tickets can be purchased on byutickets.com.

BYU Game Notes

Portland Game Notes

PROVO, Utah – BYU men's basketball will host Portland in a West Coast Conference matchup Saturday night in the Marriott Center at 7:30 p.m. MST.

BYU's game against Portland will be televised live on BYUtv and the BYUtv app. The radio broadcast will be available live on the BYU Sports Network, on BYU Radio – Sirius XM 143/89.1 FM HD2 and KSL 102.7 FM/1160 AM.

BYU Storylines

• BYU hosts Portland Saturday for the first of two meetings this season. The Cougars’ all-time on-court record against the Pilots is 20-2, including 11-0 at home. Overall, BYU has won seven-straight games against Portland.
• Senior guards TJ Haws and Jake Toolson did the bulk of BYU’s scoring against Saint Mary’s, combining for 53 of the Cougars’ 84 points. Haws scored a season-best 29 points while Toolson posted 24.
• Haws continues to move closer and closer to the BYU record for consecutive games started. He has played in and started every game of his career – 118. The record of 122 is held by Jeff Chatman (1984-88).
• With Yoeli Childs out with a finger injury, sophomore Kolby Lee returned to the starting lineup Thursday and hit 4 of 4 from the field for 9 points and 6 rebounds. Lee is now shooting 60.3 percent from the field for the season.

BYU Cougars (12-5, 1-1 WCC)

• Head Coach: Mark Pope
• Alma Mater: Kentucky, 1996
• Division I Career Record: 89-61 (5th)
• Record at BYU: 12-5 (1st)

Portland Pilots (9-8, 1-1 WCC)

• Head Coach: Terry Porter
• Alma Mater: UW-Stevens Point, 1993
• Career Record: 37-77 (4th)
• Record at Portland: Same

Game Information

• TV: BYUtv
• TV Talent: Dave McCann (play-by-play), Blaine Fowler (analyst), Jarom Jordan (courtside)
• Live Video: BYUtv.org and the BYUtv App
• Radio: BYU Sports Network, BYU Radio Sirius XM 143/89.1 FM HD2, KSL 102.7 FM/1160 AM
• Radio Talent: Greg Wrubell (play-by-play), Mark Durrant (analyst)
• Live Stats: BYUcougars.com

Series Information

• Series Record: *20/17-2
• Last Meeting: BYU won 83-48, 1/7/19
• H/A/N: *11/9-0|8/7-2|1-0
  *Wins in 2016 and 2017 vacated by NCAA

Pregame Light Show