BYU basketball: Cougars expect big things on the court

PROVO — For a team that has three returning starters, the BYU men's basketball team feels like it still has a lot of holes to fill this season.

Back are starting guards Jackson Emery and Jimmer Fredette, and starting forward Noah Hartsock. Gone from last year's roster, however, are starting small forward Tyler Haws and starting center Chris Miles.

Also no longer around are last season's main reserves Jonathan Tavernari, Michael Loyd and Lamont Morgan.

Despite the key departures, the Cougars still find plenty of optimism from the reserves they do have returning from last year's squad — and from the new guys suiting up this season.

"With the players that we lost from last year, this might be the biggest hole we've ever had to fill," BYU coach Dave Rose said at Wednesday's media day. "But I feel really comfortable with the guys we have coming back ... and we're excited to get started because I want to see who is going to fill those spots."

With time, the Cougars believe, fans will see a squad every bit as good as last season's 30-6 team, and maybe even winning more than one NCAA Tournament game this March. Certainly, the Cougars, picked by the media to finish second in the MWC, should compete for another league title — having won a share of three of the past four.

"I think this league is going to be really good on a national level. There is as much optimism as ever on the national level that this is a good four-or-five-team league," Rose said.

The strength of this year's team is, without doubt, the guard line. Fredette, who toyed with leaving for the NBA after last season and spent 10 days this past summer working out with the USA Basketball team, is the Mountain West Conference preseason player of the year and has already been named to several preseason all-American teams.

"It's great to have those things because that's really where you want to be as a basketball player," Fredette said. "I just have to go out there and play and do my best and not think about that stuff too much."

Emery is perhaps the league's top returning defender, and compliments Fredette's shot-creating game perfectly with his deadeye 3-point shooting. The two are considered one of the top backcourts in the nation.