It's only Feb. 6 but it's beginning to feel like March.

Last night in Rec Hall the No. 2 women's basketball team (18-1, 9-1 in the Atlantic 10) defeated arch-rival No. 9 Rutgers 78-72 and in the process set two Rec Hall records.

The crowd of 5,398 broke the old attendance record set against North Carolina State in 1986 (4,364) and the victory was the 23rd straight home win for the Lady Lions eclipsing the old mark set from 1984-86.

The Lady Lions used a spurt near the end of the first half to gain a 41-28 halftime lead. In the second half Penn State built an 18-point lead. The Lady Lions held on despite the foul trouble that plagued co-captains Tanya Garner and Susan Robinson in the second half.

"The first half took the wind out of them even though Rutgers made a great comeback the lead was just too big to come back (from)," Coach Rene Portland said.

Both teams looked tight early with Dana Eikenberg and Kathy Phillips missing 3-pointers and Lady Knight Vicky Picott using the glass to bank in an 18-footer.

But slowly the Lady Lions settled down and began to build a lead after receiving a scare. While going up for a rebound at the 14:30 mark in the first half, Phillips came down on another player's foot and twisted her ankle. The injury looked serious but Phillips shook it off and returned later in the first half.

The lead was eight after Lynn Dougherty nailed a three and up to 12, 26-14, after Robinson hit two free throws at the 7:23 mark.

Then tragedy struck the Lady Knights (18-2, 11-1). Guard Lynn Ust went down clutching her knee. The injury, to which the extent is not known, was a major blow. Ust did not return to the game.

"It was a great difference. When Lynn goes down that's like if Garner goes down for you guys so how bad would it be if Garner went out for you?" Coach Theresa Grentz said. "It's a tough break, it's bad for her."

Even with that injury the Lady Knights cut the lead to 28-24 after Picott hit a layup at the 4:05 mark.

But the Lady Lions hunkered down and made another run with 1:45 left. Garner hit a trey, Phillips sunk a 5-footer and the lead was back up to nine, at 35-26.

After a Picott layup cut the lead to seven, 35-28, a Garner trey with 38 seconds left and a Jen Kretchmar 3-pointer with three seconds remaining sent the Lady Lions into halftime with a 41-28 lead. The crowd was on its feet as Portland thrust her hand into the air.

"I think we changed up real early and I think our changes hurt them in the first half," Portland said. "Jenny Kretchmar hit that big three to send us into the locker room."

At the half, Robinson (16) and Garner (13) had combined for 29 points to spur Penn State to a 13-point lead.

"I didn't think we played real well in the first half, we made some mistakes that came back to hurt us," Grentz said.

"I think we are always playing on the top of our game, and you saw a lot of different people doing a lot of different things and that's what kept our head above water," Garner said.

Portland noted that she was pleased with the play of Tina Henry in the first half and the combination of Shelly Caplinger and Dougherty.

In the second half the Lady Lions were again building the lead and had their biggest of the game at 54-36 with 14:56 after Garner hit a baseline jumper.

Robinson and Garner began to get in foul trouble but the Lady Lions were able to hold off the Lady Knights' pressure for the rest of the game. The closest Rutgers got was 62-57 after Makeda Green hit a trey with 7:26 left.

From then up the Lady Lions savored a victory that they had waited for since Jan. 12.

"I can always feel good when I see key players on the floor, you have to look at a Susan Robinson you have to look at Dana and get a read of their face," Portland said. "And I thought the read of their face was really good."

Robinson (20 points) and Garner (19) led the scoring for the Lady Lions while Picott (26) and Green (23) led Rutgers.

"I am thrilled and I think the kids should just be so fired up," Portland said. "I think the fans obviously showed how much they love Lady Lions basketball."