STOCKTON, Calif. — Jaxson Robinson and Spencer Johnson combined for 32 points as BYU beat Pacific 69-49 in its West Coast Conference opener at the Alex G. Spanos Center on Thursday night.

Robinson’s BYU career-high 17 points came as he made four 3-pointers. Johnson came off the bench to shoot 5-of-11 from the field and 3-of-6 from distance, all of this in just his first game back since sustaining a knee injury versus Butler on Nov. 24.

Rudi Williams and Dallin Hall added eight and seven points, respectively. As a team, BYU shot 42.0 percent from the field and 44.0 percent from 3-point range while holding Pacific to 32.0 percent from the field and 26.0 percent from deep. The Cougars’ shooting and 40-25 rebounding mark helped them overcome 19 turnovers.

Pacific found momentum from an early 3-point play and stormed out to a quick 8-1 lead. The Tigers’ early advantage would be their only on the night as BYU gathered itself and responded with a 22-5 run.

Robinson started the run for the Cougars with a 3-pointer to cut Pacific’s lead to four. Johnson followed that up with a 3-pointer of his own following an offensive rebound from Noah Waterman. The Detroit Mercy transfer Waterman added a trey of his own to square the game at 10 moments later.

A step-back fadeaway jumper from Williams tied the game at 13 before a Johnson steal and fastbreak lay-in gave BYU its first lead of the game at 15-13. Richie Saunders soon arrived from the bench and sparked the offense further with a rebound that set up a Robinson 3-pointer and a make from distance of his own just prior.

Williams then helped BYU to its first double-digit lead of the night at 23-13 when he found Robinson cutting to the rim for two.  

A pair of Pacific 3-pointers sliced BYU’s lead to eight before Fousseyni Traore scored four unanswered at the free-throw line and Williams nailed a contested jumper in the key to give the Cougars a 33-21 edge.

BYU finished the half strong with Williams collecting a defensive rebound and pushing the ball in transition to Johnson for 3-pointer as time expired.

The Cougars continued to runaway for the win in the second half, leading by as many as 26 after an alley-oop dunk by Atiki Ally Atiki gave BYU the 69-43 advantage.

BYU returns home for a New Year’s Eve matchup with Portland on Saturday at 7 p.m. MST. Watch the Cougars take-on the Pilots live on BYUtv or tune-in to live play-by-play on BYU Radio Sirius XM 143, BYURadio.org/BYU Radio app or KSL 102.7 FM/1160 AM.

PROVO, Utah – BYU opens West Coast Conference play on Thursday, December 29, when the Cougars travel to Stockton, Calif. to take on Pacific. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. PST at the Alex G. Spanos Center.

Thursday’s contest will be broadcast on the WCC Network. Greg Wrubell will also be on the call on the BYU Sports Network on BYU Radio Sirius XM 143 and KSL 102.7/1160 AM.

BYU Notes (10-5 0-0 WCC)

• BYU enters West Coast Conference play on a five-game win streak following its 63-57 victory over Weber State last Thursday at the Marriott Center.
• Fousseyni Traore scored a team-high 17 points in the Cougars 23rd straight home victory over the Wildcats, marking the sixth straight game he has scored in double figures.
• According to Sports Reference, Dallin Hall’s 53 assists are the second-most by any freshman in NCAA Division I men’s basketball.

Head Coach – Mark Pope

• Alma Mater: Kentucky, 1996
• Division I Career Record: 155-57 (8th Season)
• Record at BYU:  78-31 (4th Season)

Pacific Notes (7-8, 0-0 WCC)

• Pacific extended its win streak to three games with a 74-65 victory over Lamar in its last game on December 20.
• Pacific ranks 20th in the nation in 3-point percentage percent as the Tigers are shooting 39.3 percent from downtown.
• Luke Avdalovic ranks first in the WCC in 3-point percentage as the redshirt senior has made 59.7 percent for his attempts from behind the arc.

Head Coach – Leonard Perry

• Alma Mater: Idaho, 1995
• Division I Career Record: 63-127 (7th Season)
• Record at Pacific: 15-30 (2nd Season)

Series Information

• Series Record: BYU leads 16-7
• Last Meeting: Pacific won 76-73, 1/29/22
• H/A/N: 8-2/7-4/1-1

Broadcast Information

• Streamed Video: WCC Network
• Streamed Audio: BYU Radio Sirius XM 143, KSL 102.7/1160 AM, BYURadio.org, BYU Radio app
• Radio Talent: Greg Wrubell
• Live stats: BYUCougars.com