Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
No. 11 Oklahoma
Emmett Leads Tech Past Sooners
January 19, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Jan 19, 2004
By BETSY BLANEY
Associated Press Writer
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Coach Bob Knight and star player Andre Emmett embraced on the court Monday night after yet another win.
So, is this the start of a new tradition at Texas Tech?
"If we keep winning, we'll keep hugging," Emmett said.
"That's probably the answer," Knight agreed.
The No. 18 Red Raiders won their 11th in a row, routing No. 20 Oklahoma 67-47.
Despite the victory, Knight was not ready to say his team was on a roll.
"Who knows?" he said. "We may not have it tomorrow. We could be as different tomorrow as black and white or as apples and watermelons. You just have to continue to be focused and play as well as you can."
Emmett scored 21 points to lead Tech to its longest win streak under Knight. The Red Raiders won 10 in a row during the 2001-02 season - his first at the school - before a loss at Oklahoma.
It's also their longest since the 1995-1996 season, the year the Red Raiders went to the Sweet 16. They won 23 straight games that season.
Earlier in the day, the Red Raiders (15-2, 3-0 Big 12) moved up to their highest ranking under Knight.
The Sooners (10-4, 0-3), meanwhile, dropped their fourth straight game. In three of the defeats - against Connecticut, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech - they lost by at least 20 points.
Oklahoma has lost four in a row for the first time in five seasons. The Sooners are off to an 0-3 start in conference play for the first time since the 1980-81 season.
"The team is not at the level we've been," Sooners coach Kelvin Sampson said. "Right now we're struggling on offense. We just don't have a lot of guys we can depend on to make baskets."
Knight praised Emmett's play and said he is learning what it is means to be a leader.
"I just like the way he's matured this year," he said. "He's just beginning to understand that a really great basketball player is a total player, not just a scorer. The really good player has to be a leader. He's not just a guy."
Devonne Giles and Jackson added 12 points each and Ronald Ross got 10 for the Red Raiders.
Jason Detrick scored 11 points, and Larry Turner and Lawrence McKenzie added nine each to lead the Sooners.
Oklahoma, which was last in the Big 12 in field-goal percentage (42 percent) coming into the game, again had difficulty finding the basket. They finished 19-of-58 for 33 percent.
The Sooners' point total matched their lowest of the season, set in a 47-45 win over Purdue in December.
Knight, a strong and vocal proponent of defense, was pleased with Tech's effort.
"Our defensive play tonight, we may have made a mistake here and there, and I tend to focus on those, but overall our defensive play tonight is what we're trying to get to or moving in the direction of what we're trying to get to," he said. "I think we have moved that way, but we can still become better and better by eliminating mistakes."
It was also the lowest point total allowed by Tech this season. The Red Raiders beat Massachusetts 90-50 in a preseason NIT game.
Tech ended its three-game losing streak against Oklahoma. Last January, the Red Raiders fell at Oklahoma 69-64 in overtime in a game that included a clock controversy.
Two timing mistakes were determined by Big 12 officials to have been caused by the timekeeper. Knight behaved as if he believed Sampson would forfeit the win - he did not.
The Red Raiders used a 15-2 run to go up 25-13 and held the Sooners to just three field goals in the final 11:20 of the first half.
