The women's basketball team found out the hard way last week that money makes Penn State go 'round.

The Lady Lions were unable to play their first-round game of the NCAA's East region tournament in Rec Hall last Wednesday. The University's athletic department had reserved the gym for a first-round men's National Invitation Tournament game.

The athletic department claimed the decision was based on attendance, not gender. During the regular season the Lions averaged 5,000 fans a game. The Lady Lions, however, only averaged 2,000 fans a game.

While the decision was an understandable economic one, pride in an institution's athletes goes further than money.

The athletic department reserved the facility well in advance for the men's team probably because that team was almost certain to receive television exposure.

The Lady Lions -- seeded seventh in the East region of the NCAA tournament -- were forced to play on the road at 10th-seeded Florida State in Tallahassee. In the first two rounds of the women's tourney, higher-seeded teams usually play at home.

Snubbing the Lady Lions for money stems from an institution-wide perception that men's basketball is better than women's basketball. The networks cover men's sports far more frequently than they do women's.

When the women's team does well, it should receive the same respect and honor as the men's would for an equal accomplishment. The NCAA is a more prestigious tournament than the NIT; therefore the women's basketball team should have hosted its first-round game.

The athletic department's decision reinforces the message that women's athletics are not good enough. For years the women's team has been a national Top 25 program.

In contrast, the men are still fighting for respectability. The women's team won its sixth A-10 championship this year. The men have never won and have only been to the finals once.

If administrators think numbers are needed to give the Lady Lions the respect they deserve, then the Penn State community can give those numbers by attending more women's basketball games. But the more important issue is to focus on pride, not revenue, when an athletic team does well.

Without that support, people have little reason to be "Penn State proud."