PITTSBURGH -- Before the start of the 1990-91 season, the men's basketball team set its sights on the NCAA Tournament.

But if the Lions were to rack up enough wins to merit consideration, they would have to win the games on the road. That is something Bruce Parkhill-coached Penn State teams have never done.

Over the last seven seasons the Lions are 24-60 (.286) on the road -- an average of 3.4 wins per season -- and have never finished above .500 away from Rec Hall.

Saturday afternoon, before the third-largest crowd in the history of the A.J. Polumbo Center, the Lions lost another very winnable game, 87-81, in overtime to Duquesne. The loss dropped Penn State's road record to 1-5 this season.

The scenario has become far too predictable of the Lions' play on the road. In four of its five road losses -- Baylor, Temple, South Florida and now Duquesne -- Penn State has been tied or held leads in the second half.

On Saturday, poor free-throw shooting and turnovers allowed the Dukes to overcome a seven-point deficit with just over five minutes left and send the game into overtime.

In overtime, the Lions appeared rattled and out of sync. They failed to score a field goal in OT and were outscored 10-4.

"We sure do execute better at home," Parkhill said. "Duquesne made their foul shots down the stretch. We didn't. They executed down the stretch. We didn't. They won the game, to their credit."

Guard Monroe Brown had no answers to the Lions' problems away from home.

"I don't really know," he said. "We just seem to play better at home. I don't know what it is."

Brown had a chance to win the game in regulation but his eight-foot jumper bounced off the rim.

"I felt comfortable with the shot," Brown said dejectedly. "It came up short. A lot of them wouldn't fall today."

Penn State's record now stands at 11-5 overall and 5-3 in the Atlantic 10. If the Lions hold any remaining hopes of making their first NCAA Tournament since the 1964-65 season they will have to solve their road woes.

They play six of their last 11 games on the road, begining Friday night in Miami, Fla.

"It's another chance for us to try to get a road win," Parkhill said. "For us that's . . . well, we'll try to do it."

Notes: Penn State announced that reserve center Ricky Jolley has been declared academically ineligible. Jolley is still enrolled and will try to regain his eligibility next season. He had not dressed for a game this season.