Toolson erupts as Childs returns in BYU basketball's road win at Pacific

PROVO — The reason BYU head coach Mark Pope was willing to bring Yoeli Childs back from a finger injury on the road against Pacific is that he knows the Cougars are a different team with Childs on the court.

So, too, is Jake Toolson a different player.

Toolson poured in a career-high 28 points, including 6-of-8 from 3-point range, and Childs added 26 points and nine rebounds in his first game since Jan. 4, en route to a 74-60 win over Pacific at the Alex G. Spanos Center in Stockton, California.

The Cougars (15-6, 4-2 WCC) shot 53% from deep in the second half, holding the Tigers to 2-of-6 from 3-point range. Jahlil Tripp had 18 points, 10 rebounds and three steals to lead Pacific, which led 53-51 just moments before Toolson paced an 18-0 run with three straight triples to pull away for good in the final five minutes.

"That was such a fun game," said Toolson, who combined with Childs for 54 points on 21-of-35 shooting. "I’m glad we pulled it out, but I think the most important thing was that we were able to get stops. When we can get stops, we can push it and do what we do on this side of the ball.

"I was just feeling it, and I tried to get good looks at the rim."

BYU, which entered the game tied with Pacific (15-7, 3-3 WCC) for second place in the West Coast Conference, handed the Tigers their first string of consecutive losses in the 2019-20 season.

BYU started much like Childs did in his first game since a win over Loyola Marymount: slow, rusty, and at an 8-0 disadvantage in the opening minutes.

Pacific held BYU to just four total field goal attempts in the first four minutes, with the Cougars making one of them. On the other side, Tripp had two of the Tigers’ four field goals during a 50% shooting start.

As soon as Childs scored one, though, the pace calmed and settled more into the Cougars’ favor. The 6-foot-4 forward casually drained a triple, pacing a 9-0 run that tied the game at 12-12 on Dalton Nixon’s layup, with 12:44 left in the half.

In a flash, BYU was the aggressor with the high ground. It continued with an 11-2 run to take a 28-21 lead, lulled with the Tigers’ 8-0 spurt to catch back up at home and held on by holding off Pacific for the final 5:52 from the field en route to a 33-29 halftime edge.

After going 1-of-4 from the field, Childs made a game-high 11-of-20 to pace the Cougars’ offense.

"It’s so good to have him back and he impacts the game in so many ways,” Toolson told BYU Radio. “I am really happy that he is back. It’s been up and down for him, but he’s been so positive and is so crucial to this team — whether he is on the court or not."

He also opened up his teammates.

After Pacific retook the lead 53-51 on Jeremiah Bailey’s triple with 10:41 left in the game, the Cougars went on a roll. TJ Haws, who finished with nine points, three rebounds and three assists, tied the game at 53-53 — and then gave way to the Toolson takeover.

"That was impressive," said Pope, whose team remains in a tie for second place in the conference with Saint Mary's after three other teams all lost, including the Tigers. "He put on a show tonight in the last 10 minutes, and he’s doing it in the context of what we do. The pace wasn’t unbelievable, and we got him going in the post; he had a positive matchup."

The return of Childs gave the Cougars too many offensive weapons. When the power forward wasn’t pounding the rim, Toolson was stepping back to nail effortless 3-pointers. The graduate transfer from Utah Valley knocked down three straight triples during a run that swelled as high as 21-0 to give the Cougars a 69-53 lead with 4:57 to play.

But the best part of the run wasn’t the makes from Jake, Toolson said. It’s what BYU did on the other end.

"Our team was so locked in on the next possession, trying to get a stop so that we could keep building," Toolson said. "That’s pretty cool, 21-0, though."

Next up

BYU stays in the Bay Area for a Saturday matinee tip on the Hilltop against San Francisco. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. MST on KJZZ and Stadium.

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