Dallas ? Bob Knight gave back his salary because he didn’t like how Texas Tech played in the regular season. The postseason is turning out quite differently.

Nathan Doudney scored a career-high 25 points, mostly on three-pointers, helping the Red Raiders build a 20-point lead before halftime and hold on to beat No. 3 Texas, 92-81, in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Conference tournament Friday night.

Andre Emmett had 30 points and 11 rebounds and Kasib Powell had 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for the fourth triple-double in school history as Knight earned his most impressive victory in two years coaching the Red Raiders.

It’s quite a bargain, since Knight has told athletic director Gerald Myers he won’t accept his $250,000 base salary no matter how March turns out.

“Gerald has a hell of a deal,” Knight said. “He has to take me out to eat tonight.”

Tech hadn’t beat a team ranked so high since knocking off No. 2 SMU in January 1985. The Red Raiders also had lost 13 straight against Texas.

Now, they’re in the conference semifinals for the second straight year, this time as the lowest seed (seventh) to make it that far in the tournament’s seven-year history.

Texas Tech will play No. 6 Oklahoma at 3:20 this afternoon.

While an automatic bid remains the best way for Tech (17-11) to get into the NCAA Tournament, Knight’s plucky squad is making its case for an at-large berth — especially with the compelling story line of him working for free.

“We hope we can get in with this win,” said Powell, who had the first triple-double in Big 12 tournament history.

Texas Tech coach Bob Knight, left, puts his arm around Texas guard T.J. Ford. The Red Raiders stunned the third-ranked Longhorns, 92-81, in a Big 12 Conference men's basketball tournament quarterfinal game Friday in Dallas.

Knight, though, said he’s already extended the Red Raiders one bid.

“I invited them to dinner at the hotel,” he said.

For Texas (22-6), the loss could hurt its chances of getting a No. 1 seed.

The Longhorns had won four straight and eight of nine. They were coming off their best win of the year, having erased a 15-point deficit in the final 13:48 to beat Oklahoma, ending OU’s 37-game home winning streak.

The Longhorns pulled within 80-74, but the Red Raiders made 13 of 16 free throws down the stretch.

“With the run we had last week, a lot of people probably expected us to come back and win,” said T.J. Ford, who led Texas with 23 points. “We did the best we could.”