El Paso, Texas » After holding off old Western Athletic Conference rival UTEP 83-77 on Saturday night, the BYU Cougars talked about how their confidence is soaring right now, especially because they got the win even though their best player, Jimmer Fredette, didn't play.

"This is a great team because different guys help us win every night," said freshman Tyler Haws, who made up for Fredette's 20.7 scoring average with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

But the question now is: when will Fredette be back? The Cougars play at Air Force on Wednesday.

Saddled with mononucleosis, which morphed out of last week's battle with strep throat, Fredette will play when he has sufficient energy to play, coach Dave Rose said after the Cougars' 11th-straight win.

Fredette's "spleen is not enlarged to the point where he can't play," Rose said. "What he needs to do is feel better. So if there is official word on when he is going to feel better, I don't know when that is. But he needs to get his strength back."

Fredette, who made national headlines by scoring a school- and arena-record 49 points against Arizona, watched the game from BYU's bench in street clothes.

Asked whose call it was to hold Fredette out, Rose said, "We just felt that this was the best thing to do, and he agreed with it."

Michael Loyd Jr. got the start at point guard Saturday in Fredette's place and scored seven points, but had four turnovers and struggled to get the team in its offense in the first half.

"Hey, the bottom line is I want him to play, if he can play," Rose said. "But I want to make sure we get through this, and get him back to full strength."

The coach described Fredette's spirits as "down a little bit," but the star guard was smiling and yucking it up with his teammates after the Cougars improved to 16-1.

"We missed Jimmer, but with or without him, we have to play the way we play," said senior Jonathan Tavernari, who has seemingly elevated his game while Fredette struggles with the malady.

Tavernari had a season-high 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting before fouling out.

"I think this will help [Fredette's morale], that the team was able to rally around each other and get a big win here," Rose said. "But he wants to play. I mean, he's a competitor."