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C Jantel Lavender - 4-time Big Ten Player of the Year (LA Sparks)

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Blossoming of Lavender
Ohio State senior center has left an indelible mark on program
Sunday, February 27, 2011
By Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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Fred Squillante | Dispatch

At noon today in Value City Arena, Jantel Lavender will close her eyes and see her freshman self so clearly that she might be tempted to smile and wave a hello.

Senior days are like that and Lavender, one of the most decorated players in the history of the Ohio State women's basketball team, will marvel at how quickly four years can come and go.

The Buckeyes (18-9, 9-6 Big Ten) do have an important game with Wisconsin (15-12, 10-5) that will have major implications on conference tournament seeding.

Lavender and fellow seniors Brittany Johnson, Sarah Schulze and Alison Jackson know that, just as they know that this is their final dance on their home court.

"Hopefully, I don't cry too much," Lavender said. "I'm a softy for things like this. You think four years, when you first get here, are going to take forever. It just went by so fast."

Lavender arrived at Ohio State from Cleveland Central Catholic as one of the most recruited post players in the country. She was replacing a graduated senior All-American in Jessica Davenport. Ohio State coach Jim Foster saw her play once and knew why everyone wanted her.

"She could really run and she could catch the ball," he said. "She also had a soft touch. If you can run and catch as a big, it means you have good hands. If you can run and catch, it's a great head start. And she still is growing her game after four years."

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http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2011/02/27/blossoming-of-lavender.html?sid=101
 
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Congrats to Jantel on a terrific career. Great game today on senior day. Finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks today. Looked like a nice crowd from the TV shots and the women delivered a serious beatdown to Wisky. That warms my heart. :)
 
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buckeyes_rock;1880101; said:
Congrats to Jantel on a terrific career. Great game today on senior day. Finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks today. Looked like a nice crowd from the TV shots and the women delivered a serious beatdown to Wisky. That warms my heart. :)
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It was a good crowd, and she got a big, well deserved standing ovation when she was pulled at the end. Thanks Jantel for four great years!
 
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Congrats to Jantel on becoming the first basketball player (male or female) to win 4 Big Ten MVP Awards!

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Ohio State's Jantel Lavender was named Big Ten Player of the Year for the fourth time, becoming the first men's or women's Big Ten basketball player to do so.
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Feb. 28, 2011



PARK RIDGE, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference announced the women's basketball all-conference teams and individual award winners on Monday. Michigan State's Kalisha Keane was selected as the Big Ten Player of the Year by the conference coaches, while Ohio State's Jantel Lavender earned top billing from the media. Lavender's award marks her fourth Player of the Year honor, making her the only women's or men's basketball player in conference history to earn the award four times. She is also the only women's basketball player among the Big Ten, ACC, Big East, Big 12, Pac-10 or SEC to accomplish the feat.

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Lavender led the Big Ten in scoring and rebounding, posting 22.6 points and 10.7 rebounds per game this season en route to her fourth Player of the Year award. She picked up six conference Player of the Week honors this season, pushing her career total to 18, the most in Big Ten history. The Cleveland, Ohio, native became the Big Ten's all-time rebounding leader this season, racking up 1,352 boards in her career. She is also just the second player in conference history to amass 2,600 points.

Merchant earns top billing among Big Ten coaches after guiding Michigan State to the conference crown for the first time in her


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The press release states that she is the first female player to win 4 MVPs from any of the 6 'power' conferences: ACC, B10, Big XII, Big East, Pac Ten, and SEC.

I think she's the only basketball player, male or female, to do that in one of those 6 conferences. Freshmen weren't eligible until the 1972-73 season, and since then nobody's won 4, and I only found these male players that won 3 POY awards from those leagues:

ACC: David Thompson (3) and Ralph Sampson (3)
Big 8/12: Wayman Tisdale (3) and Danny Manning (3)
Big East: Chris Mullin (3)
SEC: Pete Maravich (3) and Bernard King (3)
Big Ten: Jerry Lucas (3)

The Pac Ten didn't award POYs until the 1975-76 season, if they had started those about a decade earlier, it would have been a no-brainer to give 3 each to Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Bill Walton.
 
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Freaking awesome tonight: Big 10 Tournament scoring record 37 pts! Good balance of scoring too, 19 in the first half and 18 in the second (I think). Interestingly she started slowly in both halves, no touches early in the first and missed shots early in the second. But she got it going and looked awesome despite the consistent double team every time she touched the ball.
 
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Congrats to Jantel on becoming the first 3-time winner of the Big Ten Women's Tournament Most Outstanding Player Award (she's won 3 straight).

Shereka Wright of Purdue was the only other 2-time winner (2003-04).
 
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When Jantel verbaled to OSU as a Senior at Cleveland Central Catholic High School, I knew she would make us forget Jessica Davenport. But I didn't know how really good she would be. Thanks and congrats on the fine career, Jantel and good luck in the WNBA.
 
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:bow: to Jantel for all that she has done for the :osu: women's basketball program over the past four years. A well deserved award for her by being drafted #5. She looks like she could be a model so being drafted by Los Angeles will be great for her.
 
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Ohio State's Jantel Lavender taken by Los Angeles with fifth pick of WNBA draft
Published: Monday, April 11, 2011
By Doug Lesmerises, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer

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AP File
Ohio State's Jantel Lavender was taken by Los Angeles as the fifth pick in the first round of the WNBA draft today.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- For college, Jantel Lavender went from Cleveland to Columbus. For her first job, she's headed to the West Coast.

Taken fifth in Monday's WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks, Ohio State's all-time leading scorer and the four-time Big Ten Player of the Year said of her new seasonal home, "I want to love it."

A big-time player with a big personality, Lavender said she'll head to L.A. in early May to check things out, then start preparing for the season opener on June 3. She'll only live in Los Angeles during the four-month season, with her twin sister, Jazmine, expected to join her. Then, like most top players, she'll head overseas to play more.

"That'll be the plan and will be the plan for the next few years," Lavender said, speaking by phone after attending the draft at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn. "I just want to be so great. I think I can get so much better and I want to continue to play for years to come."

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http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2011/04/ohio_states_jantel_lavender_ta.html

OSU women's basketball: Lavender selected fifth in WNBA draft
Los Angeles picks career scoring leader
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
By Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Toward the end of her senior season with the Ohio State women's basketball team, Jantel Lavender thought for a moment before answering a question about where she thought she might land in the WNBA draft.

"Top five, I think," she said, finally. "But it doesn't really matter. I just want to go. Wherever I go I'm going to make the best of it, play hard and make a name for myself. It's really the start of my life."

As it happened, Lavender's new life started yesterday in Bristol, Conn., when the Los Angeles Sparks selected her with the fifth pick of the draft.

She told reporters afterward that she was pleased Los Angeles chose her.

"I was just totally elated when my name was called," Lavender said. "I can't wait for the opportunity to play alongside players like Candace Parker, Tina Thompson and Delisha Milton-Jones. I just want to play my role and do whatever it takes to help the Sparks win. I'm ready for this challenge."

Ohio State coach Jim Foster accompanied Lavender to the draft and thought his former star fit nicely within the Sparks' roster.

"They have a need for a strong post presence," Foster said. "She will really help them. I think they'll take advantage of the fact that she can run and score from different places. I don't think they'll just stick her on the block."

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http://www.dispatch.com/live/conten...der-selected-fifth-in-wnba-draft.html?sid=101
 
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