night that Creator was sold to the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders Association and will stand stud at Shizunai Stallion Station in Hokkaido.Last year we visited the JBBA, and I was impressed with their fa

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Virginia coach Tony Bennett didnt know exactly what to expect in the eighth-ranked Cavaliers season opener, between being down two forwards to losing so much from the team that made a deep NCAA Tournament push.When it was over, he saw the Cavaliers have some balance and depth to work with, along with a defense that looked ready from the tip.Marial Shayok scored 15 points to lead the offense in Virginias 76-51 win against UNC Greensboro on Friday night. Meanwhile, the defense -- the bedrock of Bennetts program -- held the Spartans scoreless for more than 11 minutes spanning halftime as the game turned into a methodical rout.With this team and us this year, I think theres even more unknowns because of the amount of newcomers, the lack of experienced guys, Bennett said. So we just didnt know what to expect. I just want them to battle and play hard each possession. It was a welcome first step for a team that lost a lot of production from its first trip to the NCAA Tournaments Elite Eight since 1995. London Perrantes was the only returning player to average at least five points per game, but Virginia had four players hit double figures Friday night.Virginia ran off a 22-0 run to blow the game open, shot 52 percent and made 8 of 16 3-point attempts with a juggled rotation with the absences of Memphis transfer Austin Nichols and Mamadi Diakite inside.Honestly I didnt know what to think coming in (defensively), said Isaiah Wilkins, who had 10 points and nine rebounds. Well take this as a marker and try to improve it on Tuesday.Francis Alonso scored 14 points for UNCG, which shot 37 percent. It marked the first time the program has hosted a ranked opponent in a season opener, though the Spartans ended up falling to 2-55 all-time against Atlantic Coast Conference teams.We just ran into a buzzsaw tonight, sixth-year UNCG coach Wes Miller said. I think its something we can learn from and grow from.BIG PICTUREVIRGINIA: The Cavaliers were thin inside with Nichols out due to a violation of team rules, and Diakite sitting due to an NCAA review of his amateur status. That gave Bennett an extended look at some players who have spent time developing within Virginias program. Of note: 6-foot-11 redshirt sophomore Jack Salt got the start and had seven points in 27 minutes as he tries to earn steady rotation minutes and provide interior depth this season.UNCG: Picked to finish fifth in the Southern Conference, the Spartans quickly fell behind by double figures and made what amounted to only a 2-minute flurry of resistance. Hardly the start that Miller wanted from a team with four returning starters.My biggest disappointment was I think when it got away from us ... we were frustrated and disappointed and we let that affect us in the next possession, Miller said, adding: Were too mature, we have too much experience to let being down 15 points affect who we are on the next possession.POLL IMPLICATIONSBennett has described preseason rankings as more of a compliment for what the program has done in recent years as opposed to a measure of the current teams standing. But Miller was sold on the No. 8 team in the AP Top 25 , noting, We can talk for days about their defense.WING OPTIONSBehind Shayok, Darius Thompson scored 12 points with three 3-pointers, while Perrantes had 10 and freshman guard Kyle Guy scored seven on 3-for-5 shooting in his college debut.Guard-wise, I feel like we dont have certain starters every night, Thompson said. Anybody can come in and contribute ... so really it shows how deep we can be.UP NEXTVIRGINIA: The Cavaliers should get their first chance to integrate Nichols into the lineup Tuesday against St. Francis Brooklyn.UNCG: The Spartans play at home Monday against Presbyterian.---Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap---More AP college basketball at http://collegebasketball.ap.org or http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25 Cheap Custom NHL Shirts From China . Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Custom Tampa Bay Lightning Jerseys . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. http://www.nhljerseyscustom.com/ . 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VERSAILLES, Ky. -- Belmont Stakes winner Creator has been sold by WinStar Farm and Bobby Flay and will retire from racing to stand stud in Japan.WinStar Farm said Thursday night that Creator was sold to the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders Association and will stand stud at Shizunai Stallion Station in Hokkaido.Last year we visited the JBBA, and I was impressed with their facilities and overall program, said Elliott Walden, WinStars president, CEO and racing manager. Theyve done such a great job with Americann horses like Empire Maker and Forty Niner, and we hope Creator can have a similar impact for Japan and its breeders.dddddddddddd.Trained by Steven Asmussen, Creator also won the Arkansas Derby and had three victories in 12 career starts. A $440,000 yearling purchase by WinStar, he earned $1,610,320. He last raced in late August, finishing seventh in the Travers at Saratoga. ' ' '