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BYU basketball defeats Portland, one step closer to WCC No. 3 seed

By Nathan Cunningham

Feb 18, 2017; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars guard Elijah Bryant (3) tries a three point shot while St. Mary's Gaels forward Calvin Hermanson (24) tries for the block during the second half at Marriott Center. St. Mary's Gaels won the game 70-57. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 18, 2017; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars guard Elijah Bryant (3) tries a three point shot while St. Mary's Gaels forward Calvin Hermanson (24) tries for the block during the second half at Marriott Center. St. Mary's Gaels won the game 70-57. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports /
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BYU basketball’s victory over Portland tonight moved the Cougars closer to the No. 3 seed in the West Coast Conference tournament.

Elijah Bryant led BYU basketball to a win over Portland on the road, shrinking the Cougars magic number to one for the No. 3 seed in the West Coast Conference Tournament.

Bryant scored a career-high 39 points in the 97-78 victory. The 39 points are the most scored by any West Coast Conference player this season.

It marks another 20-win season for Dave Rose. The Cougars’ head man has reached the plateau in each of his 12 seasons as head coach.

While this season has been a disappointing one, getting the No. 3 seed would be a pretty big deal for BYU basketball. Not that games against St. Mary’s have gone well for the Cougars, but avoiding Gonzaga for as long as possible is a good thing.

If BYU were to get the No. 3 spot, the Cougars would be playing the No. 6 seed (likely Loyola Marymount).

A win over Gonzaga Saturday, or a St. Mary’s win on Saturday would clinch the spot for the Cougars.

BYU is 2-0 against LMU this season. The next round would obviously bring a matchup with St. Mary’s, but that’s a more winnable matchup for the Cougars. Even if they just have to hope to get hot from beyond the arc.

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With the victory over Portland, BYU improves to 20-10 on the season. On Saturday the Cougars will travel to Spokane to take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs. BYU basketball is 2-0 at The Kennel over the past two seasons, playing the Zags on Senior Night is a tall order.

The West Coast Conference Tournament begins on March 2 and runs through March 7. If BYU basketball has any hope of making the NCAA Tournament, the Cougars will need to win the WCC.

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