Last week the men's basketball team was riding on a four-game win streak with a comfortable 8-5 record, 4-1 in the Atlantic 10. But in the last seven days the Lions have played like an umbrella in rain showers -- up one minute, down the next.

A disappointing loss to Temple last Thursday was followed by a decisive victory at Rhode Island, the conference runners-up last year. The Lions entered Tuesday's game at St. Bonaventure as a six-point favorite, but lost a 10-point lead with 13 minutes left, losing the game in the last three seconds.

In its second attempt for victory No. 1,000, the team faces St. Joseph's at 8 tonight in Rec Hall. The Lions (9-7, 5-3) defeated the Hawks (4-12, 1-6) in Philadelphia on Jan. 7, 78-67.

In each of the past two years, Penn State has swept the season series only to be ousted by St. Joe's in the first round of the A-10 tournament. In 1985-86, the teams split the two regular-season games, and the Hawks eliminated the Lions in the tourney's second round.

But the Hawks are much-changed since last spring. Rodney Blake, one of the premier collegiate shot-blockers of the '80s, is now in the CBA. Ivan "Pick" Brown, who was outstanding last year at point guard, has left the college. Those absences have left Coach Jim Boyle with two key men to turn to -- Brian Leahy and Henry Smith.

"I think they've got some guys that are really good players," Coach Bruce Parkhill said. "They are a better team than they were when we played them in Philadelphia. It's a different look (with Blake gone), because they don't have him in there blocking shots. (Now) they try to get Leahy and Smith the ball."

After a slow start, Leahy has led the team in scoring in 10 of its last 11 games, and averages 16.4 points per night. Smith, who scores 14 per game, leads the team in rebounding. Last year he led the conference in boards.

A key for the Lions tonight will be establishing a strong inside game, led by center Ed Fogell and forward Bruce Blake. Blake has scored a total of 54 points in the last two games -- a legitimate candidate for A-10 Player of the Week -- and Fogell has consistently scored in double figures throughout the season, including 17 points Tuesday.

"I'm just getting open more," Blake said of his recent tear. "(Before) I was trying to be more like a role player instead of a leader-by-example.

With their star center graduated, the Hawks now have a freshman starting in the middle. He comes from a long line of basketball players, and his father made it to the NBA. Capitalizing on the youth of Matt Guokas III, son of former Philadelphia 76ers player and coach Matt Guokas, Jr., will be Fogell and Blake's task this evening. But that may be more difficult than it seems.

"They work very hard down low," Blake said. "I don't know about (Guokas), but if the coach is starting him, he can't be weak. They have a solid, all-around game."

Another requirement for a Lion victory is a strong 33-40 minutes from forward Tom Hovasse. The Lions' top scorer and rebounder has been consistently good from game to game, but has played in spurts of late. Tuesday at St. Bonaventure, for example, he scored 13 of his 21 points in the first half and didn't make a field goal in the second until there were less than five minutes left. Although he hasn't been his usual self from 3-point range, some of his teammates are starting to relieve some of Hovasse's burden.

"(Blake)'s getting his confidence back," Parkhill said, "and we need him to complement Tommy. (And) I really have a lot of confidence in all four of the guards."

Parkhill said he has been pleased with the play of freshman starters Freddie Barnes and Monroe Brown. Seniors Brian Allen and Christian Appleman, the starters until Jan. 5, split playing time with the newcomers.