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PORTLAND — Elijah Bryant was feeling it Thursday night.
The BYU wing opened the game with three quick 3-pointers, and finished with a career-high 39 points to help the Cougars ease past Portland, 97-78 in the penultimate West Coast Conference game of the 2016-17 regular season Thursday night in the Chiles Center.
Bryant made seven 3-pointers, and also finished a perfect 12-of-12 from the free-throw line for BYU (20-10, 11-6 West Coast Conference). The former Elon University standout also had five assists and five rebounds for a BYU team that opened the season-ending road trip through the Pacific Northwest before Saturday's regular-season finale at top-ranked Gonzaga.
Eric Mika added 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists for BYU, who played without freshman Yoeli Childs after the youngster injured his ankle a week ago in a loss to then-No. 22 Saint Mary's. Braiden Shaw earned his first start of the season in Childs' absence, and he pulled down a career-best 11 rebounds to go along with four points and two assists.
Nick Emery scored 16 points, including three 3-pointers, for BYU, and teammate Steven Beo tied a career high with 12 points.
BYU coach Dave Rose clinched his 12th-straight season with at least 20 wins. The coach of BYU for a dozen years has led BYU to a postseason berth every year, including eight NCAA bids.
Gabe Taylor led Portland (10-20, 2-15 WCC) with 18 points, and Xavier Hallinan added 17.