Lubbock, Texas – Bob Knight wasn’t criticizing officials after Texas Tech’s 95-74 win over Colorado on Saturday night.
He saved that for his team.
Knight, who was publicly reprimanded by the Big 12 last week for calling the officiating “horrendous” after losing in double-overtime to Oklahoma State, reserved his toughest comments for his Red Raiders after Tech struggled with retaining the lead against the Buffaloes.
Jarrius Jackson scored 28 points to lead Tech and Martin Zeno added 24, but Knight said what he really wants to see out of his team is leadership.
“The two best we’ve had in the last three years left at one time,” Knight said of Ronald Ross and Curtis Marshall, who both graduated in 2005. “We just don’t have that and that’s tough to overcome. I think they’re reluctant to get on somebody else’s (rear), and that has hurt us.”
The win was the second straight for Texas Tech (17-10, 6-6 Big 12) after beating No. 6 Texas A&M last week, which snapped a five-game skid.
Richard Roby scored 17 points and Jermyl Jackson-Wilson added 15 points to lead Colorado (6-16, 2-10).
Jackson’s performance moved him into second place for career Big 12 points (2,104) behind former teammate Andre Emmett, who finished with 2,256 points.
“It’s just a big honor for me,” Jackson said.
Tech was sharp from 3-point range, hitting 11-of-25, and led by double figures for much of the game. The Red Raiders took their largest lead at 64-38 when Zeno hit two free throws with more than 10 minutes left to play.
Colorado coach Ricardo Patton said his team knew about Jackson and Zeno.
“We knew going into the game that those guys would score the bulk of their points and the other guys do a nice job of complementing those two players,” he said. “I was excited about us being together more as a team and making passes and looking for one another.”
Colorado got within 78-63 when Xavier Silas hit a 3-pointer with just under five minutes left, but the Buffaloes could get no closer.
The Buffaloes went scoreless for about 4 1/2 minutes midway through the first half. During the drought, Texas Tech made field goals on six consecutive possessions, capped by consecutive 3-pointers by Jackson, putting the Red Raiders up 28-16 with 7:38 remaining before the break.
Tech capitalized on Colorado’s 11 first-half turnovers, getting 13 points on them.
COLORADO (6-16, 2-10 BIG 12)
Williams 2-5 0-0 4, King-Stockton 0-1 0-0 0, Coleman 5-6 0-0 11, Thorne 3-6 0-0 6, Silas 5-10 1-2 14, Inge 1-1 0-0 2, Van Burck 0-0 0-0 0, Roby 7-12 1-4 17, Jackson-Wilson 6-6 3-4 15, Perkowski 0-0 0-0 0, Kowal 1-1 0-0 2, Beckley 0-0 0-0 0, Bay 1-4 0-0 3. Totals 31-52 5-10 74.
TEXAS TECH (17-10, 6-6)
Zeno 7-11 9-9 24, D. White 0-2 0-0 0, Plefka 2-5 1-2 6, Burgess 6-8 0-0 16, Jackson 9-17 8-10 28, Valentine 1-2 1-4 4, Hoffmeister 0-0 0-0 0, Mitchell 0-0 0-0 0, Voskuil 3-5 2-2 10, Prince 0-1 0-0 0, Ogden 0-0 0-0 0, L. White 0-0 0-0 0, Suljagic 0-0 0-0 0, Dora 3-5 1-2 7. Totals 31-56 22-29 95.
Halftime – TT 41-30. 3-point goals – CU 7-15 (Silas 3-5, Roby 2-5, Coleman 1-1, Bay 1-3, Thorne 0-1), TT 11-25 (Burgess 4-6, Voskuil 2-4, Jackson 2-7, Valentine 1-1, Zeno 1-2, Plefka 1-3, Dora 0-1, D. White 0-1). Fouled out – Voskuil, Williams. Rebounds – CU 26 (Coleman, Jackson-Wilson 7), TT 26 (Plefka 7). Assists – CU 16 (Coleman 4), TT 17 (Burgess 6). Total fouls – CU 21, TT 13. A – 10,298.
