By Betsy Blaney
The Associated Press

LUBBOCK, Texas - Kasib Powell has become one of Texas Tech's most reliable players.

He showed it again Wednesday as he led the 25th-ranked Red Raiders to a 62-48 victory over Houston. Powell, who played the entire game, scored 21 points, six above his average.

"He's a kid we can rely on, I think, game in and game out," Tech assistant coach Pat Knight said. "He's our 'Iron Man,' I'd call him that. Like our Cal Ripken, a kid that's always going to be in there in the game."

Bob Knight did not attend the postgame news conference for the second time in the last three home games. Sports information director Randy Farley said the reason was so Pat Knight, Bob Knight's son and assistant, could gain some experience doing news conferences.

Tech (9-1) never trailed against Houston (2-7), which made only 17 of 61 field-goal attempts.

The Red Raiders led by as many as 28 points early in the second half. But Houston went on a 18-4 run that whittled Tech's lead to 12 with less than a minute remaining.

Bob Knight stopped the comeback attempt by putting three starters back on the floor. Pat Knight said the bench players who let the lead slip need to bring a "bigger boost of energy."

"It just kind of shows their lack of maturity of how they handled it coming off the bench," he said.

But Houston's leading scorer saw the comeback another way.

"I think we had some players who were doubting our ability to win the game, but we just wanted to finish strong and have a good performance in the final minutes," said Louis Truscott, who had 16 points and 14 rebounds.

Pat Knight said Tech needs to work on keeping a lead, but he is happy with the team's overall play.

"It's been a long time since this program has been 9-1 back-to-back years," he said. "We're happy with that."

Pawel Storozynski scored 14 points for Tech, and Andre Emmett had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Tech led 35-16 at halftime.

In the first half, Truscott had all six of Houston's points until 13 minutes into the game, when Bryan Shelton sank a 3-pointer. Houston didn't break into double figures until there were four minutes left in the half.

Houston coach Ray McCallum credited Tech for some of the Cougars' scoring problems.

"I think they're a solid defensive team," McCallum said. "We came in with some questions. This was a big-time game for us and a big-time opportunity for us. I thought we were a little tentative and a little unsure of ourselves in the first half."

Five minutes into the second half, the Cougars had twice as many turnovers as baskets. They finished with 22 turnovers.

It was the second lowest point total Tech has allowed this season. Tech beat Nicholls State 107-35 in early December, establishing a new school record for largest margin of victory.

It was Bob Knight's 796th career coaching victory.

HOUSTON (2-7)-Truscott 5-13 6-7 16, Hensley 0-2 0-0 0, Ferguson 1-5 0-0 2, Owens 3-13 0-0 8, Shelton 2-5 0-0 6, McGuire 3-8 0-1 6, Jones 1-7 0-0 3, Keys 0-2 0-0 0, Dyer 2-6 2-3 7, Anderson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-61 8-11 48.

TEXAS TECH (9-1)-Storozynski 5-12 4-6 14, Powell 8-16 5-6 21, Tomaszek 1-7 0-0 2, Emmett 4-10 2-4 11, Ross 2-3 0-0 6, Chavis 1-2 2-2 5, Doudney 1-4 0-0 3, Marshall 0-0 0-0 0, Valdez 0-1 0-0 0, Ofoegbu 0-0 0-0 0, Washington 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-56 13-18 62.

Halftime-Texas Tech 35-16. 3-Point goals-Houston 6-24 (Shelton 2-3, Owens 2-9, Dyer 1-4, Jones 1-4, Keys 0-1, McGuire 0-1, Hensley 0-1, Truscott 0-1), Texas Tech 5-13 (Ross 2-3, Chavis 1-1, Emmett 1-2, Doudney 1-4, Washington 0-1, Valdez 0-1, Powell 0-1).