updated 10:30 a.m. ET Nov. 15, 2006

LUBBOCK, Texas - Bob Knight has won 872 games doing things his way. He’s not about to change now.

A day after Knight forcefully lifted up a player’s chin on the sideline, the volatile coach poked fun at himself in Texas Tech’s 93-59 win over Arkansas-Little Rock on Tuesday night.

Knight passed along a couple of love taps — these clearly in jest — during the win. He called them part of his coaching style.

“All you’ve got to do is watch me coach any game and you see my coaching style,” Knight said.

Knight patted Darryl Dora on the back of the head and gave him two light swats on the behind as the senior jogged from the bench to the foul line late in the first half. The crowd roared its approval and Dora made both free throws.

Near the end of the game, Knight also gave Michael Prince — the player Knight confronted Monday night — a gentle pat on the behind. Fans responded with light applause.

Knight rebuffed questions from reporters about the incident with Prince.

“I have said nothing publicly about it nor do I intend to, and that is the attention that it deserves,” Knight said. “Now does anybody else have a question about basketball? This is a press conference for a basketball game.”

One reporter persisted, pointing out that the incident involved his team which makes it about basketball.

“No, not to me it doesn’t,” Knight said. “I’ve already answered it, and that’s it.”

Knight is five wins shy of passing Adolph Rupp for second place on the men’s Division I coaching list. Dean Smith ranks No. 1 with 879 wins.

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Knight’s players were quick to jump to his defense.

“You know, I dont think he did anything wrong,” said Jarrius Jackson, who scored 21 points in the win. “He’s just being coach, really. And I think any other coach in America can do that, too.”

Jackson said he didnt even know about the incident with Prince until he got home Monday night and saw it on TV.

“That’s his demeanor,” Jackson said of Knight. “He just demands a lot from us.”

Tech (3-0) never trailed and beat the Trojans (2-1) in the regional final of the College Basketball Experience Classic. The Red Raiders advanced to play No. 16 Marquette in Monday’s semifinal at Kansas City.

Knight went after Prince late in an 86-74 win over Gardner-Webb. Knight used his hand to push up the sophomore’s chin during a timeout so that Prince would look the coach in the eye. Prince, his mother and school officials say what Knight did was no big deal.

Tyler Hoffmeister, the player who earned his way onto the team in “Knight School” earlier this year, scored his first points of the season late in the game.

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“It was a really good feeling to finally go out there and know that I had finally achieved one of my goals in life of playing Division I basketball,” he said.

Knight agreed.

“I was just tickled to death,” he said.

Lekheythan Malone and Rash Jones-Jennings each scored 10 points for the Trojans. Jones-Jennings grabbed 11 rebounds.

Despite the added hoopla surrounding the game, Trojans’ coach Steve Shields didn’t think it was a distraction to his team.

“I didn’t think that was the case,” he said. “I felt like we got good looks early and executed our offense early.”

Texas Tech closed the first half with a 20-2 run for a 52-24 lead. The Red Raiders finished 12-for-18 on 3-pointers and held the Trojans to 21-for-58 shooting. Eight players hit 3s for Tech.

Knight said the 3-pointers weren’t anything he emphasized.

“If it was an emphasis, I’d do it every night,” he said.

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