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Provo • February has brought another issue to the BYU basketball season that coach Dave Rose must figure out before postseason play rolls around in March.

The Cougars are getting no offensive production from their bench.

Mostly because reserves Elijah Bryant and Yoeli Childs have been thrust into starting roles with the season-ending injuries suffered by Kyle Davis and L.J. Rose, Dave Rose is using his bench less and less as the season wears on.

"Yeah, it is troubling," Dave Rose said Thursday after BYU got just two points from its bench, a Davin Guinn layup, in the 82-70 win over San Diego. "We only got one point the other night [vs. USF] out of our bench. That's three in the last two nights.

"So you gotta have an 'Iron Five' play really well until we find some guys that can come in and give us a lift."

None of the bench players scored in the first half Saturday night against Saint Mary's.

Having emerged as a valuable sixth man, Guinn is an energy guy and a decent defensive player, but doesn't score much. He played 25 minutes against the Toreros and attempted just three shots. He had four rebounds and two steals.

"I am saying our bench is giving us a lift, but it is not in points," Rose said. "We are getting a lot of energy. Davin is getting some really good defensive minutes, energy minutes. He can play two positions for us."

Bryant said BYU's starters are all in good shape and capable of playing heavy minutes if they can stay out of foul trouble. He also expressed confidence in the substitutes, saying they shoot well in practice.

"I think we have guys on the bench who can definitely come in and contribute," Bryant said. "Maybe they didn't score [Thursday], but we definitely have guys on the bench who are capable of coming in and giving us points off the bench."

Bouncing back

Despite an up-and-down season, the Cougars only lost back-to-back games once all year, to Valparaiso and then Utah Valley. Before that, they had not lost two straight games since ending the 2014-15 season with a loss to Ole Miss in the NCAA Tournament and opening the 2015-16 season with a loss at Long Beach State.

"I think we learn well from our losses," Nick Emery said. "We each learn well from our mistakes in the game. We are a young team, but we are learning how to play with each other. You know, that's the fun part. You gotta figure it out, and people gotta still believe. We got a few years together, and we have to continue to grow up as a team right now."

Briefly

BYU's only seniors, Davis and L.J. Rose, were honored on Senior Night before the game as the Cougars played for the final time this season in the Marriott Center, barring a postseason appearance in a tournament such as the NIT. … Officials were Verne Harris, Kevin Brill and Kelly Self.

Twitter: @drewjay