Provo • BYU’s men’s basketball program “will be fine” if Gonzaga leaves the West Coast Conference for the Mountain West Conference, BYU coach Dave Rose said Monday as the Cougars began preparing to face Stanford in the NIT on Wednesday.
“Oh, yeah,” Rose said after being asked if BYU can survive in the WCC without the Zags, who have acknowledged discussing prospects of jumping to the MWC, perhaps as soon as next season. “BYU has a great tradition, a strong tradition. What we bring to the fan base and Cougar Nation is pretty unique. … This is a real brand, and it has got real power to it, and we will survive.