Coach Knight turns down $250,000 salary

Coach Bobby Knight turned down his salary at Texas Tech because he is “not at all satisfied with what transpired with our team in terms of our fundamental execution. I don’t think it’s anybody’s fault but mine.” Say what you will about Coach Knight’s temper, I think he’s a damn fine coach and an excellent builder of character.

“He’s too hard on himself,” Myers said. “He’s done a great job these last two years, all the things he’s done for this program, this university. There’s no question that he earns his salary and more every day.”

This season’s disappointments came after the Red Raiders finished 23-9 in Knight’s first season a year ago and reached the NCAA tournament. Before Knight’s arrival in March 2001, Texas Tech hadn’t had a winning season in four years.

The Baylor loss was an especially tough one for Tech. The Red Raiders came back from a 16-point second-half deficit only to lose by six. Tough home losses to Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas preceded the Baylor game. Those losses dashed Tech’s hopes for making the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid.

Texas Tech, seeded seventh in this week’s Big 12 tournament in Dallas, opens play with a 6 p.m. first-round game Thursday against Baylor. Unless Texas Tech wins the tournament, the Raiders likely will play in the National Invitation Tournament on Monday or Tuesday in Lubbock.

This year could be Knight’s first without 20 wins since 1995, when Indiana went 19-12.

In his 29 years at Indiana, Knight won three NCAA national championships and had just seven seasons in which his teams failed to win 20 games.