SEATTLE -- Lauren Jackson would have loved nothing more than a chance to don her
Seattle Storm uniform and play one more time in front of the teams vocal fans.
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China .If I could, I would. But actually, I dont have a knee
anymore, she said with a smile at the end of a media roundtable session with
longtime teammate Sue Bird. Itd be almost impossible.Instead, the Australian
superstar and four-time Olympian settled for being honored and cheered loudly by
those fans in KeyArena on Friday night as the team formally retired her uniform
after an 80-51 rout of the Washington Mystics.Jacksons No. 15 jersey, the first
number retired in the teams 16-year history, was unveiled in the arenas rafters,
next to the two banners signifying the WNBA championships she helped win in 2004
and 2010.It was then that the reality -- and finality -- of stepping away from
the game hit home with the 35-year-old Jackson.I think the closure in itself is
a sad thing. But at least I got to come back, said Jackson, who hadnt been in
Seattle since playing her final game in the 2012 WNBA playoffs against
Minnesota. It doesnt feel like it has been four years. I wasnt sure I was going
to get to get back here. But having the opportunity to come back and retire here
is probably the most important thing Ive ever done.Jackson was introduced as a
ceremonial sixth starter before the game, and threw several of her basketball
shoes into the stands at halftime.I didnt realize how much I missed (Seattle)
until I got back in, Jackson said. I did grow up here. I was a little teenager
when I got here.Although she didnt play in the WNBA after 2012, Jackson did
continue playing overseas. But having dealt with ankle, shin, and back injuries
at various points of her career, Jackson announced in a tweet on March 30 that
she was calling it quits.The 6-foot-6 Jackson was 19 when she came to Seattle
with the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2001 after the Storm went just 6-26 as an
expansion team in 2000. During her 12-year career, she scored a team-leading
6,007 points, a total that ranks No. 7 on the WNBAs career list. She also ranks
No. 3 in the league for career blocked shots (586) and No. 9 in rebounds
(2,447).Jackson was a three-time MVP and was the named to the WNBAs All-Decade
team in 2006 as one of the leagues top 10 players. Along with four Olympics for
the Australian national team (three silver medals and one bronze), she played in
three World Championships, helping the Opals win gold in 2006.
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Online . Oyama had six birdies and two bogeys at Kintetsu
Kashikojima in the event also sanctioned by the Japan LPGA Tour. "I have been
having this neck ache thats been affecting my golf recently," Oyama said.
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http://www.cheapsaucony.net/ . Cote was
eligible to become a free agent Feb. 15. Cote helped running back Jon Cornish
run for a league-high 1,813 rushing yards en route to being named the leagues
most outstanding player. CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- London Perrantes knew he wasnt
playing well, and if he had any doubt whatsoever, coach Tony Bennett let him
know.I got after him, Bennett said Wednesday night after Perrantes scored 15 of
his 19 points in the second half and No. 7 Virginia overcame a sloppy
performance and rallied past Ohio State 63-61 on Wednesday night in the ACC/Big
Ten Challenge. I did, and he responded.Perrantes, who had three turnovers by
halftime, hit three 3-pointers in the second half to spark the Cavaliers surge.I
knew I wasnt playing to the best of my ability or even anywhere close, the
senior point guard and four-year starter said. Im glad he kind of got into me.
Thats the most I got ripped by him since Ive been here and it sparked us
all.Devon Hall added 12 points for the Cavaliers (7-0), who trailed by as many
as 16 points in the first half and didnt take the lead for good until Marial
Shayoks baseline runner made it 59-57 with 1:58 remaining.The Buckeyes (6-1)
trailed 63-61 when Shayok missed two free throws with 10.5 seconds left. Coach
Thad Matta called a timeout with 6.5 seconds to play, but JaQuan Lyle couldnt
find an open teammate as the clock ran down and launched a 3-point try that
missed badly.I hope we take a lot from it because I told them after the game,
`Were close, but were not there yet, Matta said.As the Cavaliers rallied in the
second half and the crowd whipped into a frenzy, the Buckeyes hurt their chances
with 11 of their season-high 20 turnovers, some of them more caused by
carelessness than pressure from Virginia, and they almost all proved costly.As
great teams do, they capitalized on every mistake we made down the stretch,
Matta said.JaeSean Tate led Ohio State with 14 points and Lyle had 12.BIG
PICTUREOhio State: The Buckeyes are knocking on the door of the Top 25 with only
one senior on their roster in forward Marc Loving, their third-leading scorer.
Matta has lots to work with, especially in Tate, an atthletic, and impressive
sophomores C.
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Lyle, and win or lose, tight games in packed arenas like John Paul Jones Arena
can only help Ohio State as it moved toward play in the rugged Big Ten.Virginia:
Its when outside shots arent falling that the Cavaliers will most miss forward
Austin Nichols, a transfer from Memphis who was eligible this season, but was
kicked off the team after the second game for a violation of team rules. Nichols
was not only a gifted inside scorer, but a rebounder and rim-protector on
defense and when the Buckeyes drove mercilessly to the basket in the first half,
Virginia had no answer, getting outscored 22-4 in the paint in the half.
Virginia closed the margin after the break, and finished trailed 32-18 in the
paint.SPARKPLUGThe Buckeyes Jackson found his stroke, hitting three 3-pointers
in four tries. He came into the game 1 of 11 from beyond the arc.UNSUNG
HEROVirginias Darius Thompson scored just four points, but both baskets came
during an 11-0 run to begin the second half, turning a 36-24 halftime deficit
into a 36-35 Buckeyes lead. Thompson finished with three rebounds, three
assists, three blocks and two steals.HE SAID ITI told him, `Last year it was
Brogdon. This year its you. -- Matta on a postgame exchange with Perrantes, the
Cavaliers unquestioned leader who has assumed the role occupied last season by
Malcolm Brogdon, now with the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA.UP NEXTOhio State
returns home to face Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday and then Florida Atlantic
before playing host to Connecticut next Saturday.Virginia faces its third Power
Five conference school in four games when No. 25 West Virginia visits John Paul
Jones Arena on Saturday.---More AP college basketball:
http://collegebasketball.ap.org---Follow Hank on Twitter:
www.twitter.com/hankkurzjr ' ' '