Forward James Barnes is lacing up his shoes a little tighter these days. Guard Monroe Brown is taking a few extra jump shots before practice.

Among the men's basketball players at practice yesterday, there was the distinct feel that crunch time has arrived.

"We need to get off to a good start. We don't have much time left," Barnes said. "We want to get on a roll."

If the Lions are to prove they are ready to contend for the Atlantic 10 tournament crown, they will have to do so in their least favorite setting -- on the road.

"I guess you could call it ironic," Brown said. "The road wins are a little tougher but I think we'll be alright."

The Lions have struggled on the road of late, dropping their two straight A-10 travel games. Coach Bruce Parkhill hopes to use Monday's emotional 69-65 come from behind victory over George Washington as a rallying point down the stretch.

"A game like that has to pick you up," he said. "That was a real boost, I think, to the morale and, hopefully, the confidence -- everything. A game like that can really help a team."

Penn State (16-9, 9-7) sits in fourth place in the A-10 with two conference games remaining at St. Joseph's and Rutgers. Tonight the Lions journey to Philadelphia to do battle with the Hawks (9-15, 5-10) at the Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse at 7:05.

"We need to play real hard. They're going to be fired up," Brown said. "We need to play good defense -- that's the key."

In the teams' previous meeting, Penn State held off the scrappy Hawks for an 84-68 victory on Feb. 9. Michael Jennings and Jon Dietz led the way with 14 points apiece. The defense clamped down to hold St. Joe's to 35 percent from the floor in the second half.

The Hawks are led by the freshman backcourt duo Bernard Blunt and Rap Curry. Blunt, an A-10 Freshman-of-the-Year candidate, averages 19.9 points per game. The guard registered 27 in the first meeting at Rec Hall.

Curry tallies 12.1 points per game but has been on a tear of late. The first-year performer averaged 28 points in the Hawks' last two outings, including a career-high 30 against LaSalle on Saturday.

Junior forward Craig Amos is averaging 14.8 points, hitting 42 percent of his shots from the field. He also leads the Hawk starters with 45 3-point shots and an 80 percent mark from the free-throw line.

"They're a really dangerous offensive team," Parkhill said. "Those three guys score the bulk of their points. Blunt and Curry, especially, are very effective at creating their own shots."

The Lions will once again attempt to exploit the inside against the Hawk defense. St. Joe's relies on speed and aggressiveness to anchor their pressing defense but lack the size in the paint.

The Lions shot 48 percent from the floor, largely by hitting high-percentage strikes under the basket. Centers Dave Degitz and C.J. Johnson and forward James Barnes tallied 14 of their 25 points in the first eight minutes of the second half to blow the game open.

Johnson is questionable for tonight's game, still hampered by a sprained ankle. Reserve forward Elton Carter is expected to return to the lineup after missing Monday's game with a knee injury. Jennings will be available after jamming his finger in the second half of the GW game.

Guard Freddie Barnes is averaging 19 points in the past two games, including a gritty performance Wednesday in which he scored 20 points, 15 in the second half. Barnes also will contend with the tough St. Joe's press. After an inconsistent first half last time against the Hawks, the Lions silenced the St. Joe's defense and worked the ball inside.

Forward DeRon Hayes continues to pace the Lions, averaging 15.1 points per game from the outside. Senior forward James Barnes registers 12.3 ppg and hauls down 7.4 rebounds a game.