A ROAD WIN.

That is what Coach Bruce Parkhill and the men's basketball team will be looking for when they face Miami, Fla. in non-conference game at 7:30 tonight in Miami Arena.

For the Lions (11-5, 5-3 in the Atlantic 10), road wins have been hard to come by lately. That has been difficult for Parkhill to explain.

"It's different things but it's the same," he said at a press conference Wednesday. "It's execution down the stretch, or lack of it, which can be caused by a whole lot of different things. It's not real simple."

It certainly isn't. But Parkhill is sure of the solution.

"Winning is the cure-all, because it's really all mental," he said. "If there's any kind of doubt in any of the player's minds, that will manifest itself. So the only thing that clears up that doubt is to grab one."

Tonight will be a rematch of the Nov. 27 game when Penn State routed Miami, 93-67, in Rec Hall. In that game the Lions were able to break the 'Canes press for easy baskets.

First-year coach Leonard Hamilton has limited Miami's use of the full-court press, possibly as a result of its 0-5 start.

"They're not playing strictly a full-court game as they were earlier in the year," Parkhill said. "They're still looking to press some and they'll mix that up but it's not a constant, steady diet of full-court pressure."

The Hurricanes -- 3-14 on the season -- may be getting a taste of what Big East competition will be like next season.

On Monday Miami lost at Memphis State, 80-72, after leading late in the second half. Last week the 'Canes lost 73-60 to Kansas before 14,200 Jayhawk fans. Both are perrenial Top 25 teams.

Center Joe Wylie, who scored 24 points against MSU on Monday leads the Hurricanes. He is averaging 17.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game -- both team highs.

"Wylie is a heck of a player," forward Jon Dietz said. "He's 6'10" and he's a good athlete, he's not awkward. He's quick and has a good turnaround jumper. I think the best way to stop him is to deny him the ball."

Miami will also look to take the 3-point shot. Forwards Samarr Logan and Doug Elliott and guard Jerome Scott have each put up more than 50 3-pointers.

"They have three guys who can really light it up from the 3-point line," Parkhill said. "They isolate Wylie inside. Wylie's the kind of guy who can play well inside but he'll come away from the basket and drive your big guys."

For the Lions, tonight's game provides a break from the A-10 schedule. Parkhill said he would rather stay in conference but the players may feel otherwise.

"We lost our last game (87-81 in OT to Duquesne)," Dietz said, "so we can go down to Miami, play well and kind of get our minds off it a little bit. We'll come back and get back into the A-10."

Forward DeRon Hayes continues to be the Lions' leading scorer with an average of 16.1 points per game. Forward James Barnes leads the team in rebounds with 6.8 per game.

Notes: Tonight's game will be telivised locally on TCI cable channels 10 (WTAJ -- Altoona/Johnstown) and 14 (KBL -- Pittsburgh) . . . Parkhill is going after his 199th career win as a head coach.