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LUBBOCK, Texas (Ticker) -- Bob Knight may have given back his salary for this season, but he'll take plane fare to New York.
After defeating Georgia Tech, 80-72, in the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament, Knight's Texas Tech team will head for Madison Square Garden for the first time to face the winner of Thursday's UAB-St. John's game.
Knight, who returned his salary after he felt both he and the Red Raiders (21-12) did not meet his expectations for the season, will make his sixth trip to the semifinals in eight career NIT appearances. Knight won the tournament with Indiana in 1979.
The game was close early, but Texas Tech took control with a 9-0 run early in the second half and never looked back. With 11:16 left, Will Chavis converted a three-point play to give the Red Raiders a 57-48 lead and cap the spurt.
Andre Emmett led the Red Raiders with 29 points and Robert Tomaszek added 19.
The Yellow Jackets (16-15) got within 74-70 on a 3-pointer by B.J. Elder with 1:03 left, but Kasib Powell made a pair of free throws at the other end and Georgia Tech could get no closer.
Elder scored 21 points and had four assists. Freshman Chris Bosh also had 21 and led the Yellow Jackets with 12 rebounds.
Georgia Tech missed out on its first trip to the NIT semifinals since 1971, when the Yellow Jackets lost to North Carolina in the championship game.
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