Texas Tech sophomore forward Corbin Ray hoped to be back on the practice court before Tech began its conference season. As of Saturday, he was halfway there.

Ray, who suffered a concussion during a preseason closed scrimmage and then hit his head twice more after trying to return to practice, is attending workouts in street clothes and is not yet allowed to participate. He’s had to wear a baseball cap on occasions, because he still gets headaches in response to the arena lights.

Texas Tech's Mike Singletary takes a shot against UTEP's Derrick Caracter Sunday at United Spirit Arena. The red Raiders beat the Miners 86-78 (John A. Bowersmith / Avalanche-Journal)

Ray would like to play this season but is still considering a medical redshirt. He played extremely limited minutes in two non-conference games.

“The kid wants to come back and play, but I don’t know,” Tech coach Pat Knight said. “I told him he’s got the choice of either redshirting or if you feel like you can play we’ll wait until then, but right now I think we’re a long ways away.”

Raiders still ranked
Tech remained in the latest Associated Press Top 25 announced Monday, slipping to No. 22 after going 2-1 last week to close non-conference competition.

The Red Raiders (12-2) are in an elite group of Big 12 Conference teams, with just three other schools ranked as conference play gets set to start. Kansas and Texas have been comfortably holding down the first and second positions, respectively, while Kansas State moved to No. 11 this week.

Tech hits the road for its Big 12 opener, taking on Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday. The Cowboys are receiving votes in the poll.

Jenkins becoming contributor
Theron Jenkins played just eight minutes in Sunday’s 86-78 win against UTEP, but Knight singled out the junior forward for his effectiveness during those limited minutes.

Jenkins had a steal, a block, three rebounds and six points on 3-of-3 shooting.

“I apologized to him,” Knight said. “I should have played him more in the second half.”

Before Sunday, Jenkins averaged 3.9 points in just more than 11 minutes per game.

Pat Knight, football analyst
Ruffin McNeill got one more endorsement for Texas Tech’s football head-coaching job on Sunday as Knight spoke candidly about his hope the defensive coordinator and interim head coach will be permanently promoted.

“I know people probably want me to be quiet about it,” Knight said, “but it’s the state of Texas, no one listens to the basketball coach anyway, and my last name is Knight, so people are used to us speaking our minds. I would love it if Coach Ruffin is the next coach.”

Knight used the first part of his postgame news conference to break down the keys to success — in the previous night’s football game. He talked about the blocked kick by Daniel Howard in the first half, the great play by quarterbacks Taylor Potts and Steven Sheffield and, of course, the coaching by McNeill and company.

Knight said winning that game after all the events of the previous week meant far more than his team starting Big 12 Conference play at 12-2.

“I thought last night’s game was so good for the program, just because of everything that’s been going on,” Knight said. “I couldn’t have been happier for this group of young men and the coaching staff.”

To comment on this story:
courtney.linehan@lubbockonline.com l 766-8735
terry.greenberg@lubbockonline.com l 766-8700