BYU, Utah State basketball: Craig Cusick's game-winner lifts BYU over USU

"They're a very physical team. We knew that coming in," Haws said. "They battled their way back into it. We didn't play that well in the second half. We've been in that situation before and been on the losing end. It feels really good to come out on top."

"They did a great job of changing defenses and disrupting our rhythm," Rose said of USU. "We really pushed the pace in the first half. In the second half, the game got more into a half-court game. We had a lot of open shots we didn't hit. When you can win a game and shoot 35 percent from the field, you know your team has competed. They battled and fought through adversity. This game didn't flow at all with a lot of fouls and free-throw stoppage."

Davies, who had been struggling from the free-throw line of late, hit four consecutive free throws in the final three minutes to allow the Cougars to stay ahead.

"He was 6 for 6 from the line," Rose said. "We needed all of them."

BYU returns to West Coast Conference play Thursday (9 p.m. MST, ESPN2) when it visits Saint Mary's.