PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- "We're No. 1, We're No. 1," was the chant echoing throughout the cavernous Louis Brown Athletic Center Saturday afternoon.

Some fans began waving a jersey with a No. 1 planted smack-dab in the middle.

Others just stood and cheered. And cheered.

What started as a taut, suspense-filled game of women's basketball climaxed in No. 10 Rutgers celebrating an 84-70 victory over the No. 1 Lady Lions. In a week that began with the announcement of Penn State's first-ever first-place position ended with yet another disappointment in the place known as the "RAC."

The Lady Lions are now 0-7 at RU since 1985 and have now lost their top spot in the national polls. The one-week stay at the top was the shortest of any of the 13 teams who have been rated No. 1 since the poll's inception 15 years ago. The previous low was Georgia's two-week stay in 1984.

But with a a dominating inside game that tore Penn State (11-1, 3-1 in the Atlantic 10) apart, Rutgers (12-0, 5-0) was bound to end the Lady Lions' streak. The Lady Knights, and UNLV, are now the only two undefeated women's teams in the country.

"Our idea is to try and get as close to the basket as you can," Rutgers coach Theresa Grentz said. "You win in the paint and we've been proving it with past teams, but you still need the outside shot."

As soon as the second half started Rutgers' front court tandem of Tanya Hansen and LaTonya Johnson began to produce and continually frustrate Penn State's defense. All after only scoring four points each in the first half.

The two combined for RU's first 11 points of the second half, mixing inside layups and foul shots to open a 43-36 lead. The closest Penn State got the rest of the way was three points.

Hansen finished with 15 points while Johnson added 14. Adding to the balanced Lady Knights' scoring attack was Vicki Picott (25 points), Lynn Ust (14) and reserve Caroline DeRoose (11).

"In the first half, I wasn't squaring to the basket," Johnson said. "Then I made a decision -- to help the team, not hurt it."

"Their inside game really hurt us in the second half," Coach Rene Portland said. "They were big and brutal."

Even with Rutgers' domination inside, the Lady Lions had a chance -- if not several -- to come away with the win. Despite shooting only 38 percent from the field (24 from behind the 3-point line), committing 22 turnovers and having only two players in double figures (Susan Robinson finished with 25, Tanya Garner had 16), the team trailed by only four, 70-66, with 2:35 left.

But then the game took a dramatic momentum swing. Picott stole the ball off an errant Garner pass and went in for a breakaway layup. 72-66, Rutgers.

DeRoose hit two free throws and then, after struggling from the outside all game, nailed an 18-foot jump shot with just one second remaining on the shot clock.

With 1:33 left, DeRoose was pumping her fists, the 5,054 in attendance were on their feet and Portland had to call another timeout.

76-68, Rutgers. Enough said.

Penn State, which never led the entire game, didn't have enough to make a final charge. It was outscored 14-4 in the final two-and-a-half minutes.

"Rutgers never got scared," Portland said. "We didn't make a break. You have to make breaks in that stage of a game."

Before Saturday's loss, Penn State used a very productive December and early January to vault into the nation's top spot and its best start ever. On Dec. 8, the Lady Lions gave Ohio State its worst loss ever, 118-64 in Rec Hall. Then the squad won its first in-season tournament since 1986 by capturing the Golden Bear Classic with wins over Fresno State (90-57) and California (91-77).

It easily mopped up American, 93-56, before travelling to Charlottesville and surprising the then-No. 1 Lady Cavaliers, 73-71, on guard Shelly Caplinger's last-second 3-pointer.

After being named No. 1 on Jan. 7, Penn State walloped both Duquesne, 93-52, and Temple, 93-55.