ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Senque Carey is making progress an inch at a time.

Carey, a senior guard at New Mexico, injured his spinal cord Nov. 25 against Northwestern State, and still has no movement in his legs.

Carey is spending three hours a day in therapy, and while he still can't feel anything in his legs, he can see some twitching and can move his legs about an inch while holding onto a bar.

"Being able to push my legs where I move them an inch, that's more than I was doing last week," Carey said Friday. "If I can be able to move it two inches tomorrow, and three inches and so forth, it's all positive."

Carey and New Mexico coach Ritchie McKay spoke at a news conference before Friday night's game between New Mexico and Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne.

Carey said his doctors are "hopeful" that he will regain motion in his legs. He believes he'll play again this season.

Dr. Bob Schenck, an orthopedic surgeon and the team's doctor, has said Carey had a pre-existing narrowing of the spine and it was uncertain if Carey will regain the use of his legs.

"I still have the desire to play basketball and help the team out in any way that I can," Carey said. "I'm still positive that I will be back to 100 percent. I don't have any doubts about that. It's only a matter of time."

Carey said he still has a lot of pain in the upper part of his spine, where the injury occurred.

"It's pretty painful, but I guess that's the price you have to pay to get to where you want to be," Carey said.

Carey credited his family for his ability to deal with his injury.

"My family has always taught me to be strong," he said. "It's from being surrounded by people who believe in me."

McKay praised Carey, nicknamed Q, for how he handled his injury.

"I admire Q incredibly for how he has endured this trial," McKay said. "Often a young person or an old person's character is reflected in the way they handle adversity. And he's handled it a lot better than I."

Carey has attended three Lobo practices since being injured and McKay said the senior guard has been an inspiration to his teammates and coaches.

"I'm thankful for his spirit. I'm thankful for his courage, and each moment I reflect upon our team, I think of Senque Carey," McKay said. "Even in his absence, he is with us and because of his character, because of his determination, it won't be long before he's back as Q the way we knew him."

Carey transferred to New Mexico after playing for two years at Washington.