LUBBOCK, Texas — Mike Singletary apparently got Texas Tech coach Pat Knight’s message about playing like a leader.
He came off the bench to score 20 points, including Texas Tech’s final 12, and the Red Raiders snapped a three-game losing streak with a 63-55 victory over Colorado on Tuesday night.
Tech had a 51-49 lead with 3:28 left in the second half before Singletary outscored Colorado 12-6 the rest of the way. He hit four field goals, including two fastbreak dunks, and four free throws.
“Pat’s been talking to me since Day One,” Singletary said. “Telling me that I gotta play better. I just gotta voice because that’s what I do. I’m an energetic guy. He feels like I could be the leader of this team and I could be the voice of this team. I take that personal.”
John Roberson added 13 points and Nick Okorie 10 for the Red Raiders. Alan Voskuil, Tech’s leading scorer, took only one shot, hitting a 3-pointer with 12:52 left in the second half.
The final score was the largest lead of the game for Tech, as a Singletary dunk with two seconds remaining in the game capped the scoring.
Colorado (8-9, 0-3 Big 12) has lost five of its last six.
“We can’t put it on the referees,” said Cory Higgins, who led the Buffaloes with 21 points. “We had way too many turnovers again. We got outrebounded again. Ultimately, it’s on us. It’s the same old stuff with us.”
COLORADO (8-9, 0-3 BIG 12)
Jackson-Wilson 1-2 0-0 2, Dufault 2-7 0-1 4, Tomlinson 3-8 0-0 9, Higgins 7-13 7-8 21, Thorne II 5-11 1-2 13, Veal 0-1 0-0 0, Knutson 0-4 2-2 2, Crawford 0-1 0-0 0, Eckloff 2-2 0-2 4. Totals 20-49 10-15 55.
TEXAS TECH (11-7, 1-2)
Roberts 3-6 0-0 6, Prince 1-2 0-0 2, Suljagic 0-0 0-0 0, Voskuil 1-1 0-0 3, Roberson 5-10 1-1 13, Craig 1-7 0-0 3, Ray 0-0 0-0 0, Lewandowski 1-5 2-3 4, Okorie 3-9 4-4 10, Cohadarevic 1-1 0-0 2, Singletary 7-12 6-12 20. Totals 23-53 13-20 63.
Halftime — Texas Tech 27-23. 3-point goals — Colorado 5-15 (Tomlinson 3-5, Thorne II 2-5, Dufault 0-1, Knutson 0-2, Higgins 0-2), Texas Tech 4-15 (Roberson 2-7, Voskuil 1-1, Craig 1-4, Okorie 0-3). Fouled out — Jackson-Wilson. Rebounds — Colorado 30 (Higgins 7), Texas Tech 37 (Singletary 9). Assists — Colorado 13 (Higgins 6), Texas Tech 12 (Roberson 6). Total fouls — Colorado 20, Texas Tech 20. A — 9,379.
