When Texas Tech faces Mississippi in the National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Oxford, Miss., Red Raiders coach Pat Knight already knows the outcome of the ESPN game will be a pleasant one.
No, Knight's not going out on a limb and guaranteeing a victory for Tech. He just wants everyone to know that Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy is a man he doesn't mind losing to.
Knight started forming a friendship with Kennedy back when Knight was still playing at Indiana and Kennedy was an assistant coach at South Alabama.
"He's one of my best friends in the (coaching) business,'' Knight said Sunday night. "You know how this business is.
"You've got about a handful of guys that you consider your good friend.''
The Tech-Ole Miss winner will advance to New York for the NIT Final Four. And if the Raiders miss out on such a glorious trip, Knight doesn't mind losing it to Kennedy.
"I've never been to Oxford, so I'm kind of looking forward to it because it's supposed to be a neat place,'' Knight said. "Plus, I get to play against one of my best friends.
"At least you know a good guy is going to win. If you had to lose, you're really upset if it's a bad guy.''
The NIT semifinals is Mar. 30 at New York's Madison Square Garden, and the championship game is Apr. 1.
-- Dwain Price
Maybe Pat Knight will stay in Oxford after the game is over and never come back to Lubbock. Maybe he'll keep Alan White and John Scovell with him--for the good of the program.
Posted by: BirdieMan | March 22, 2010 at 08:56 PM