PROVO — Yoeli Childs made a rare non-start Saturday night for the BYU men’s basketball team, opening the game on the bench after illness sidelined him most of the week.

Elijah Bryant was more than able to pick up the slack — and Childs? Well, he wasn’t as down as one might think.

Bryant scored a game-high 28 points, and Childs added 26 points, six rebounds, a block and a steal as the Cougars used a second-half surge to pull away from visiting Pacific, 77-65 in the Marriott Center.

True to form, Bryant gave all the credit for his efficient 8-of-9 shooting night to his teammates.

"My teammates were able to find me, and I was able to hit shots," said Bryant, who also had seven rebounds and four assists. The fact that my teammates could find me was big.

"I just try to focus on what I can control, whether I make it or miss it. I have to move on to the next play as fast as possible."

Childs, who came off the bench after illness kept him out of practice Friday, praised Bryant's efficiency in the postgame area. The junior from Gwinnett, Georgia missed just one shot — a 7-footer that was blocked by the Tigers in the first half — and went 4-of-4 from the 3-point line.

"Did you guys see this guy? He only missed one shot," Childs joked. "He probably got fouled, too."

Roberto Gallinat had 18 points and four assists to lead the Tigers (10-13, 5-5 WCC), and Miles Reynolds added 13 points.

Childs and Bryant combined for all but 23 points for the Cougars (18-5, 7-3 WCC) in a rematch of a game that BYU lost at the buzzer in Stockton, California.

The Cougars shot 58 percent from the field, including a 73.7 mark in the second half. BYU used a 9-0 run — mostly from the free-throw line — to extend its lead as high as 72-59 with 2:25 remaining.

TJ Haws added eight points and a game-high seven assists for BYU, and Jahshire Hardnett had a game-high eight rebounds for the Cougars.

"I’m just proud of the guys for finding a way to win," BYU coach Dave Rose said. "It’s a tremendous team win. There were some big-time efforts out there by our guys."

The Cougars fell behind as much as 20-12 in the first half as the Tigers were hitting from across the court. Payton Dastrup checked in and immediately hit a 3-pointer to pull the hosts with five with 9:22 left in the half to give the Cougars a spark.

Dastrup, a one-time Ohio State commit prior to serving a two-year mission for the LDS Church in Panama, added another to pull the Cougars within 22-20 with 7:35 to go until halftime.

"He did a great job, bringing energy to a team that needed that energy," Rose said of Dastrup. "He wants this team to win, in the worst way. He contributes any way he can with a lot of distractions."

Childs’ alley-oop throwdown from McKay Cannon gave BYU a 26-25 lead with five minutes until halftime, but the Tigers shot 50 percent with a 15-14 rebound edge to take a three-point halftime lead.

Childs’ illness wasn’t going to keep him out of the game. He missed all of Friday’s practice afer the team returned from a 75-62 loss at Saint Mary’s late Thursday, but played all but seven minutes in Saturday night’s win.

"He did a great job," Rose said of Childs. "I was trying to manage his minutes, but he stayed out there for 33. He really sucked it up and battled for his team."

BYU tied the game at 38-all on a jumper by Bryant just under four minutes into the half, but Pacific held on to the lead through a 44-38 advantage moments later.

Then, a Dalton Nixon sighting.

The sophomore from Orem High tipped in Haws’ missed shot with 12:26 left, and his and-one play capped an 8-0 run by the Cougars for a 47-44 lead.

"Our bench saved us tonight," Childs said. "Payton came in and played great; without him, we probably aren’t going into the half only down three. It’s huge when guys can come off the bench and make plays the way they do.

"It’s a team; it’s not just about an individual guy, even though (Bryant) was pretty dang good."

Bryant’s fourth 3-pointer of the game pushed the BYU lead as high as 55-46 with 9:39 to play. The Cougars shot a blistering 75 percent from the field in the second half.

Sneaker game

Both coaching staffs were sneakers for charity as part of the nationwide Coaches vs. Cancer initiative Saturday.

Rose, who wore a pair of Kobe Mambas during the game, will sign his sneakers and game-worn tie and auction them off online beginning Monday, with all proceeds going to the charity.

"You can buy them online. I thought I would let the group with the most money (the media) get the first shot at it," Rose joked after the game. "But it’s all for Coaches vs. Cancer."

Just here for halftime

Saturday’s game also came with a halftime performance by Ayo and Teo, the hip-hop recording duo whose hit song “Rolex” became an overnight sensation in a video clip featuring Cosmo and the Cougarettes during football season.

The duo offered an homage to the hit moment from the fall, bringing Cosmo and the dance crew to perform with them on the Marriott Center court, while both artists went into the student section crowd for part of the number.

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