By Jeff Walker l Avalanche-Journal

When Texas Tech lost back-to-back conference games last season, Tech head coach Pat Knight put the team through a practice that was similar to basic training.

After the Red Raiders dropped their second Big 12 Conference game in a row on Saturday, however, Knight said the team is going to get back to basics.

Despite their showing in a 71-49 loss to No. 11 Texas at United Spirit Arena, the team has shown signs this season of being a competitive, cohesive unit.

Some would argue that it came against weaker competition, and they’d be right.

Others might ask how the same Tech team could lose on the road to the 23rd-ranked team (Baylor) by 12 and suffer a worse defeat to the 11th-ranked team at home.

The answer – though fans might not agree – isn’t a simple one. Just like it’s hard to figure out how last year’s Red Raiders defeated four ranked teams – Gonzaga, Texas A&M, Kansas State and Texas, two after Knight took over – and also suffered the two worst defeats in school history.

“All we can do is work. I’m not going to quit. We’ve still got 14 more games,” Knight said. “We’re going back to square one. … We’ve got to work on everything. If you come by practice, we’re going to work on our stance, help-side (defense), rebounding, everything. From an offensive standpoint, our cutting and moving and screening. We’ve just got a lot of work to do.”

A small problem Tech has had this season has been injuries, mainly the loss of Nick Okorie, Michael Prince and Trevor Cook for periods at a time.

Cook played just nine minutes against the Longhorns after missing three games with a back injury.

The junior forward looked sluggish and missed all four field goals he attempted, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Okorie (ankle) and Prince (foot) each missed significant time during the non-conference season. Both appear to be healthy now, but missed enough time to hamper consistent play to this point.

Injuries, though, are just a small problem.

The Red Raiders have had issues on offense, on defense and with turnovers.

Tech scored only 24 first-half points against the Longhorns. That was the lowest output in a half this season by the Red Raiders, and then they scored only 25 points after the break.

The Red Raiders, who have tried to play at a faster pace this season, shot 34 percent against Texas, also a season-low.

The defensive issues have been well documented and a point of emphasis for at least the last month by the Tech coaching staff.

Tech held its turnovers against Texas to 14 – a reasonable number – but six came from John Roberson, who leads the team with 62 turnovers. Against Baylor, the Red Raiders committed a season-worst 23 turnovers, the second time this season they had at least 20.

Another problem is some players haven’t played up to the coaches’ expectations.

While D’walyn Roberts, freshman Robert Lewandowski and Prince have been pleasant surprises at times, junior-college transfer Darko Cohadarevic was expected to be a fixture in the starting lineup. He didn’t play twice due to a coach’s decision, and has scored in double figures only twice – once against Division II East Central (Okla.).

Some of the other players haven’t been consistent with their level of play. Mike Singletary scored 22 against Texas Christian, but only two the following game against Baylor. Roberson set a career-high with 33 points in a blowout loss to UTEP, but hasn’t scored more than 13 in the seven games since.

Knight said he’s not opposed to tinkering with the lineup.

“This is the most frustrated I’ve been in basketball, honestly,” Knight said. “We’ve just got to figure out a way and the only way I know how is to practice. So, we’ll see what happens.”

Bumpy road ahead

Texas Tech has lost its first two Big 12 Conference games, and the schedule doesn’t get much easier anytime soon.

The Red Raiders’ next six games include three on the road and five against teams with no more than four losses.

vs. Colorado (8-8, 0-2), Tuesday

at Missouri (15-3, 2-1), Saturday

at Texas A&M (15-3, 1-2), Jan. 28

vs. Nebraska (12-4, 2-1), Jan. 31

at Oklahoma State (12-4, 1-1), Feb. 4

vs. Baylor (14-3, 2-1), Feb. 7