By JAY DREW, Salt Lake Tribune

PROVO, Utah - There have been other outstanding Brigham Young University women's basketball teams in Jeff Judkins' 11-year tenure, but none has been as deep, experienced and talented as this current one, according to the man who recently became the winningest women's basketball coach in school history.

PROVO, Utah - There is one major reason Brigham Young University would scrap its treasured independence in college football and join the Big East Conference as a football-only member.

PROVO, Utah - Approached early this year about the possibility of playing TCU again, even though the BYU Cougars thought they were rid of their biggest football nemesis when they left the Mountain West Conference, coach Bronco Mendenhall didn't hesitate.

PROVO, Utah - Given the difficulty of their schedule the first half of the 2011 football season, especially the first three games, the independent BYU Cougars are relatively happy with being 4-2 heading into the second half of regular-season play, which begins Saturday with a difficult road test at the Pac-12's Oregon State.

PROVO, Utah - How much has life changed for Brigham Young's Jake Heaps?

He's gone from answering questions about whether he's capable of being the starting quarterback at BYU to how long he plans to stay at the school before he bolts to the NFL. All in one year.

Oh, and he also got married.

SALT LAKE CITY - I happened to be on the same flight home from Los Angeles as Jimmer Fredette, Brigham Young coach Dave Rose and associate athletic director Brian Santiago after the John Wooden Award presentation.

NEW ORLEANS - Finding ways to win games when everything was going against them became a trademark of the BYU Cougars this season, their best ever in terms of wins and winning percentage.

An opponent finally found the solution for slowing down coach Dave Rose's team, and superstar guard Jimmer Fredette, on Thursday in what was being called the most important game in school history.

PROVO, Utah - Another week, another milestone for the BYU men's basketball program, which is having its best season in school history but continues to work at staying grounded while accolades and honors pour in from around the country.

LAS VEGAS - They placed just two players on the preseason all-conference team, perhaps their lowest total in 10 years. They are picked to finish third in the Mountain West Conference, are breaking in a new quarterback, and at the league's just-concluded media gathering, they took a back seat in some respects to not only TCU and Utah, but Air Force as well.

PROVO, Utah - For all his wonderful accomplishments over the course of his Hall of Fame coaching career, BYU's LaVell Edwards compiled one record he doesn't like.

Edwards was 7-14-1 in bowl games, and lost his last two -- to Tulane and Marshall.