Coach Rose reflects on 2011-2012 basketball season

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The Daily Universe reporter Scott Hansen sat down with BYU head coach Dave Rose to talk about last season’s success and the future prospects for Cougar basketball.

The BYU men’s basketball team enjoyed another successful season this year, continuing streaks of NCAA Tournament victories and overall games won, but the manner in which it was accomplished was unique considering all the changes the team underwent.

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Brandon Davies goes hard to the basket Saturday against Santa Clara at the Marriott Center..
The Cougars had their first season in the West Coast Conference, playing new teams and in unfamiliar arenas. They also had their first season without arguably the best backcourt duo in college basketball, losing National Player of the Year Jimmer Fredette and all-conference guard Jackson Emery. Amid all the changes, however, they still managed to make it back to the tournament.

“There’s a couple things that are really important,” coach Dave Rose said. “Right at the top is the expectation of our players. Even though we lost some of the best guards we’ve ever had here in Jackson and Jimmer, the expectation for our returning players never changed. They expected that we were going to come in and compete for a conference championship and get to the NCAA Tournament. So I really give a lot of credit to our returning guys.”

The Cougars extended their streak of at least 25 wins to six consecutive seasons, joining Kansas as the only program in the country that can say that. The consistency of the coaching staff and the players is seen through that impressive streak.

[pullquote]”I think it’s a real credit to our players,” Rose said. “The players have been so motivated to reach their own potenital, but I think they’re also good teammates. They’re motivated to work hard for their teammates because the better each player is the better your team’s going to be. And then I’ve had great coaches. These coaches are as good as any in the country. Their work ethic and ability to relate to our guys has just been outstanding.”[/pullquote]

“I think it’s a real credit to our players,” Rose said. “The players have been so motivated to reach their own potenital, but I think they’re also good teammates. They’re motivated to work hard for their teammates because the better each player is the better your team’s going to be. And then I’ve had great coaches. These coaches are as good as any in the country. Their work ethic and ability to relate to our guys has just been outstanding.”

BYU also extends its streak of NCAA victories to three consecutive seasons, culminating in the unbelievable record-setting 25-point comeback victory over Iona in the opening round in Dayton, Ohio. The experience the younger players receive in the tournament is invaluable to their progress.

“The experience that you gain in that tournament is unique to the tournament itself,” Rose said. “We’ve been really fortunate because every tournament game that we’ve been successful in, we’ve had great play from our experienced players and then a new player that has come in and stepped up and really played well to help us through that. So that shows what our team really is.”

The Cougars are losing two key seniors in Noah Hartsock and Charles Abouo, who are two of the winningest players in BYU history, as well as losing freshman Damarcus Harrison for two years as he serves an LDS mission. However, Tyler Haws returns from his mission to join the team in the fall, and the Cougars are excited to welcome back all-conference player Brandon Davies and all-freshman guard Matt Carlino as well as several other key players.

“I think everyone here is really excited,” Rose said. “We all know that we need a good offseason. I know that Brandon (Davies) is extremely motivated to improve his game. This summer should be a really special summer and offseason for him. There’s some great young point guards in this league that are all returning, so we need to become more consistent on the perimeter.  The pressure that our guys feel is that there are some really good teams in this league, and this is a league, which after one year in, has proven really hard to win.”

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