EUGENE, Ore. -- One one-hundredth of a second.After receiving a kidney transplant last September and going through a second kidney surgery in October, after going through months of recovery, training and daily medication, Aries Merritt missed making the U.S. Olympic team Saturday by just one one-hundredth of a second.Racing in the 110-meter hurdles final at the U.S. Olympics trials, Merritt thought he crossed the line in second or third place. But after an agonizing delay, his place was shown as fourth with a time of 13.22, just behind third-place finisher Jeff Porter (13.21).Merritt was obviously disappointed, but he said he had come to grips with it. After all, he has a gold medal in the event from the 2012 Olympics and is still competing against the worlds best despite once thinking he could never run again because of his failing kidneys. Not making the Olympics is far better than being hooked to a dialysis machine for the rest of your life.Nothing can be worse than being told you can never run again, even if you come up a little short here, he said. Ive been to the Olympics, I won the Olympics. Ive broken the world record. So, I mean, someone else can have a turn.Even though Merritt will not compete in Rio, he should still be an inspiration to everyone. While you watch Michael Phelps, Simone Biles and Usain Bolt this August, also keep Merritt and what he overcame prominently in mind.After winning gold in 2012, his kidneys began to fail in 2013. Even with his kidney function no higher than 15 percent, he finished third at the world championships in Beijing late last August. He then underwent a transplant just days later in Arizona, receiving a kidney from his older sister, LaToya Hubbard.And he was only one one-hundredth of a second from making the Olympics again the following summer.It hasnt even been a year since the transplant, only 10 months, Hubbard said. For him to put his heart on the line and just miss at the team, I dont look at it as a failure or coming up short. Hes still on top. Hes still an Olympic gold medalist and still the world-record holder. He may not be able to defend that title, but nobody can take away what he did.No, nobody can take that away. But what should they take away from what he has done and overcome?People should just know that no matter what youre going through in life, if you keep your mind focused on something you want to accomplish, anything is possible, Merritt said. At world championships last year in Beijing, I had roughly no kidney function -- under 15 percent -- and I was still able to do amazing things.This time was a little different because I was compromised by the surgery. Me being sliced open, and my muscles shifted and putting a new organ in and me getting adjusted to the meds, its a lot to comprehend. People dont understand the severity of what Ive been through. Despite the fact Im still out here doing the best I can.Merritts kidney doctor, Les Thomas, says that not only should people look to the hurdler for inspiration -- a way to say no matter how dark it may be, there is always a brighter spot -- they should look to his sister as a hero, as well. She demonstrated extraordinary altruism, giving him a kidney.Thomas also says people should take this story as a reason to consider organ donations. Donating a kidney is not that risky -- you only need one -- but the waiting list can be many years for a transplant.They may not have anyone in their lives who can give them a kidney and they will wait and wait and wait because there is a huge demand for kidney transplants, Thomas said. And sometimes they will pass away with no kidney ever coming to them. ... If [more people donated], we would have a lot less people on the waiting list and less people would die.Hubbard, who gave birth to her daughter the previous year, said she never worried about any risk in giving up her kidney. She simply asked her brother for the phone number of the Mayo Clinic so she could schedule a time.Let me go through this process and get on a table and help my brother out, she said. He had something in his body that was dying and I have something that was living.She gave it to him. And because she did, Merritt is alive and healthy and competing. And inspiring.This is still just a beginning, Hubbard said. We still have the 2020 Olympics ahead and two world championships. I think this is eye-opening for kids and others. ...Always extend a hand and pay it forward.Shoes Canada Shop .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up. Shoes Canada Sale . PAUL, Minn. https://www.shoescanadaonline.com/ . It is a cliché dragged out by fans and pundits regularly when discussions take place around which teams are better than others. Shoes Canada Nike .H. -- Matt Kenseth made it 2 for 2 in the Chase, holding off teammate Kyle Busch to win Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Wholesale Shoes Canada . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday.BILOXI, Miss. -- Mississippi State earned its third win of the season, even if this one wont be remembered for its beauty.Victoria Vivians scored 17 points, Breanna Richardson added 11 and the 10th-ranked Bulldogs beat Tulane 66-49 on Wednesday night at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.Both teams struggled to score points early, but when the Bulldogs (3-0) began to find their shot in the second quarter, Tulane (1-1) stayed cold.The Green Wave went scoreless in the final 4:36 of the second quarter, which helped Mississippi State take a 36-16 advantage into halftime.Tulanes best chance at mounting an upset bridged the third and fourth quarters thanks to a 10-0 run. The rally was aided by consecutive 3-pointers from Leslie Vorpahl, bringing the Green Wave within 47-35. Mississippi State responded with its own small run, however, to squash the comeback attempt.Tulanes late run -- coupled with the Bulldogs shooting just 36.1 percent from the field -- frustrated MSU coach Vic Schaefer.I didnt think we had some kids who came out in the second half and were ready to play. I think if youre going to be who everybody says we are, if were going to be a top 10 team, then you come out and win (the second half) by 20 again, Schaefer said. You dont come out and stink it up and play dead even with them in the second half.Vorpahl carried the Green Wave. The senior guard scored 20 points on 9 of 11 shooting from the floor.She came in and really competed and did a good job of running the team and also looking for her shot, Tulane coach Lisa Stockton said.Harlyn Wyatt added 10 points for Tulane.Mississippi Sttate has won four straight over the Green Wave.ddddddddddddOME SWEET HOMEMississippi State freshman Ameshya Williams and sophomore Jazzmun Holmes played in front of their hometown fans for the first time as college athletes. Both graduated from nearby high schools and saw time off the bench. Williams scored four points with three rebounds in the final five minutes of the game. Holmes finished with two rebounds, two assists and one steal in 14 minutes.STAT OF THE NIGHTMississippi State grabbed 24 offensive rebounds and finished with 26 second-chance points, dwarfing Tulanes seven second-chance points.Our defense, even in the first half, I dont think was bad, Stockton said. They were shooting 30-something percent, but it was the offensive rebounds that were keeping them in it.COOLING OFFMississippi State entered Wednesday nights game shooting 57.7 percent from 3-point range. The Wave held the Bulldogs to just 23.5 percent on 4 of 17 shooting.BIG PICTUREMississippi State: Fresh off of dominant wins against Villanova and Maine in their first two games of the season, the Bulldogs continued to show why theyre a top 10 team.Tulane: After a convincing showing in a 79-56 season-opening win against Grambling on Nov. 12, the Green Wave suffered their first setback of the season.UP NEXTMississippi State: The Bulldogs have a big test awaiting them at 5 p.m. Sunday when they host No. 8 Texas (1-1) in Starkville.Tulane: The Green Wave travel to face Southern Miss on Sunday. ' ' '