BYU's Elijah Bryant scoring 'at all 3 levels' amid fast start to WCC play


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PROVO — In the offensive system of the BYU men’s basketball 2017-18 season, Elijah Bryant has hit a new level.

The high-scoring native of Gwinnett, Georgia, was already having a stellar junior year, averaging double-digit points per game after struggling with knee injuries since transferring to BYU from Elon University.

But with West Coast Conference play underway, Bryant has found another level.

The junior is averaging a team-high 21.8 points per game since the start of league play, as well as 6.8 rebounds (second on the team). Bryant’s overall mark of 17.9 points per game is second in the West Coast Conference, trailing only Wooden Award candidate Jock Landale of Saint Mary’s (21.2 ppg) and two spots ahead of teammate Yoeli Childs (17.7 ppg).

But what’s most impressive from Bryant is the multi-faceted scoring game.

"Eli is a special player," said Childs, who is averaging 20.4 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in the first five games of WCC play. "He's quick, and you can’t put a big guy on him or you are done. But he’s so strong that he can bully guys in the post. He can score at all three levels.

"If I were an opposing coach, I have no idea what I would do (to guard) Eli."

Childs credits the junior’s super season to his offseason program of conditioning and skill work. After a season that ended before the Cougars’ NIT finale against UT Arlington because of the oft-hampered knee injury, Bryant spent long nights in the Cougars’ Marriott Center Annex working on his game.

He was often the first person head coach Dave Rose saw in the gym when checking in every morning, or the last person he saw when he turned out the lights in his office each night.

BYU guard Elijah Bryant (3) gets hyped up during the game against the Utah Utes at the Marriott Center in Provo on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017. (Photo: Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)
BYU guard Elijah Bryant (3) gets hyped up during the game against the Utah Utes at the Marriott Center in Provo on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017. (Photo: Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)

"Every night or morning, it didn't matter when I came in my office — there was Eli on the flooring, working on his game," Rose said. "He spent a lot of time at it. He understands our system well, and right now he is playing with a lot of confidence."

The Cougars (14-4) improved to 3-2 in WCC play with an 83-63 rout of Pepperdine late Thursday night, and face a short turnaround Saturday night at Santa Clara.

With the elimination of travel pairings two years ago, the West Coast Conference hasn’t done any teams any favors with a handful of home-road turnarounds every season. It’s not new, and it’s not going away as long as the 10-team league starts after Christmas and ends the season the week before most other conferences in college basketball.

But that doesn’t make Saturday’s turnaround against the largely unknown Broncos (6-11, 3-2 WCC) any easier.

"These are the toughest ones, when you split at home and then you have to go out (on the road)," Rose said. "The times where we go out for two and then are (at) home are the easier ones, but those are the ones we struggle with.

"Hopefully we can flip it here."

Quick turnaround

Rose admitted that the quick turnaround combined with a Friday spent mostly traveling to California isn't ideal for his team's preparation against Santa Clara.

Neither is a Broncos team that hasn't been featured against any of the teams BYU has played in conference play so far.

But sophomore guard TJ Haws has one key to Saturday night's game.

"I really want us to start off strong in those games," Haws said. "In league play, if you give any team confidence, then any team can play with any team in this league. I’m hoping we are ready to go from the get-go and be aggressive on the defensive end."

Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. MST in the Leavey Center.

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