LUBBOCK, Texas -- Bob Knight walked onto the court for his first game in 20 months biting his lip and looking down. He pulled up the right sleeve on his black sweater before tipoff, then stretched his arms in disgust after his team's first possession.

	Will Chavis got some first-hand knowledge of Bob Knight's coaching style Friday.

He's back all right.

Knight made an animated, successful return to college basketball Friday night, guiding Texas Tech to a 75-55 victory over William & Mary.

"There was no question in my mind if I wanted to coach again I would," said Knight, who was fired from Indiana in September 2000 for violating a zero-tolerance behavior policy, ending a 29-year tenure that included three national titles. "It's not like they found me on a barren island at the last second."

The Red Raiders saw a 21-point lead late in the first half shrink to nine midway through the second half, but they remained in control, sticking to the motion offense and tight man-to-man defense their new coach is teaching.

You wouldn't have known it, though, by watching Knight. His expressions primarily came when his group of six holdovers and seven newcomers made mistakes.

"I thought until the last two possessions of the first half, we played 12 or 13 minutes as well as we're capable of playing," said Knight.

The only disappointment was the crowd. There were 10,444 fans in the 15,050-seat United Spirit Arena, which was full in March for the news conference announcing his hiring.

Tech would've had a full house had the game been part of its season ticket package, which sold out. Instead, Knight's first two games -- Friday and Saturday nights -- were sold separately and called the Red Raider Classic. Tickets cost $40 for both nights, $25 for one.

"I was fairly disappointed that we didn't have a larger crowd," Knight said. "We screwed the thing up because we didn't put it on the season ticket package."

There also was stiff competition: The start of high school football playoffs, the start of high school basketball season and a football game Saturday against No. 3 Oklahoma.

"Once football season is over, people are going to go crazy. This is Texas after all," said student Bill Mattiford, who arrived more than four hours early to be sure he got a front row seat.

Knight took a five-year contract at Tech because of a good relationship with school officials -- he and Tech AD Gerald Myers have known each other for more than 30 years -- and strong support from the community. He also liked the facility and the caliber of competition in the Big 12.

Knight was calm from tipoff all the way until Tech's first trip up the court. After a mistake, he stood and barked instructions to point guard Will Chavis when the team came back to play defense. He gave Chavis more guidance on the next dead ball, too.

Then a William & Mary player was called for traveling and Chavis excitedly pumped his arm. Knight called him over again, this time to tell him to calm down.

All that in the first two minutes.

Seconds later, Knight had his first conversation with an official. It must've been tame because the ref walked away laughing. So did Knight.

More talks with point guards and officials followed, but there was little need for instruction as the Red Raiders shot 55 percent in the first half, while limiting William & Mary to 32 percent.

The Tribe's only challenge was a 10-0 run that got them within 50-41 midway through the second half.

Knight rotated his guards and made sure to empty his bench. All 12 players who suited up played, with six playing 19 or more minutes.

"We didn't know what to expect," said Andy Ellis, who led Tech with 19 points and eight rebounds. "We did whatever he asked us to."

Although the crowd was smaller than expected, it was much better than the Red Raiders drew last season. Ellis said he felt "electricity the whole night." He apparently didn't notice the 14 empty sections in the upper deck.

There also was a contingent of notable fans, including former basketball great John Havlicek, former college basketball coach Abe Lemons, horse racing trainer D. Wayne Lukas, golfer Fuzzy Zoeller and John Ryan, who hired Knight at Indiana.

More than 40 of Knight's pals attended the equivalent of a welcome back party Thursday night. He called that event more emotional than being back on the court.

"When I got up and talked, I really had a difficult time telling them how much I appreciated them being here," Knight said. "I had to sit down."

The crowd also included packs of Indiana fans who have transferred their loyalty to Tech because of Knight.

"Either you're a Bob Knight lover or you're not. I am, and I wish he was still at Indiana," said Dirk Goris, who attended Indiana from 1975-79, Knight's best years.