Dispatch
It's all about attitude now for Lavender
Playing with edge, freshman bolsters Buckeyes down low
Sunday, January 13, 2008 3:12 AM
By
Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
When Ohio State freshman center Jantel Lavender rose to meet a rebound Thursday night against the Indiana women's basketball team, she did so with two hands and a look on her face that said sharing was the last thing on her mind. Fifteen games into her collegiate career, Lavender decided to sharpen her edge after a discussion with
OSU coach Jim Foster following the loss of power forward Star Allen to grades.
"Coach had a talk with me," Lavender said. "It's my time with Star being out. Our rebounds were going down, because she was an excellent rebounder. It was like I do have to be better because in a couple of games I wasn't as active on the boards as I should be."
She finished with 14 rebounds against the Hoosiers, posted the seventh double-double of her career and the Buckeyes (12-3, 3-1) won their third consecutive Big Ten game.
"I took it upon myself to rebound," Lavender said. "It's an attitude."
Cont...