I believe that we should play better than we played the first 12-14 minutes and better than we did the last couple of minutes there when we actually got the game to a winnable spot where it's tied. —Head coach Dave Rose
PROVO — There are some recurring themes about BYU’s basketball season that bother coach Dave Rose.
The Cougars (7-4) fell to Illinois, 75-73, Saturday at the United Center in a game that saw the Fighting Illini jump out to a 16-point first-half lead, out-hustle BYU at times and make crucial plays.
“We came off a really good win against Colorado with the same kind of athletes, same kind of size, same kind of length, same kind of strength (as Illinois), and we get into this game and that just really, for some reason, surprised us,” Rose said.