There was no premonition of greatness in the pregame warm-ups, no feeling of being in "the zone." In fact, Katina Mack didn't even think it was true.

But while the stat sheet doesn't always tell the whole story, it doesn't lie, either. There was no denying the numbers. Mack, the Lady Lions' junior guard, had just put together the perfect offensive performance.

"I couldn't believe it," Mack said after the flawless showing which carried No. 3 Penn State to a 94-66 win over Indiana Friday night. "I thought I missed a couple shots. But I almost had a perfect game."

The line matches up perfectly, in every way: 8-for-8 from the floor, 3-for-3 from behind the three-point arc, 2-for-2 from the line. Twenty-one points. Everything falling. Like Mike says in his commercials, "The rim just looks like a big ol' bucket."

Coach Rene Portland, though no stranger to Mack's abilities, was still somewhat in awe of her leading scorer's performance.

"Katina . . . I didn't think she missed, and she didn't," Portland said. "She went perfect straight across the line. We've seen great games from Katina."

Though the numbers are impeccable, it's unlikely Mack will let the game go to her head. The 21 points were still eight off her career high, and a 1-for-6 outing from the field yesterday against Purdue showed that perfection only lasts so long.

In fact, Mack wasn't exactly flawless. With just over six minutes remaining, she positioned herself in the paint for an apparently easy basket, only to be fouled by Hoosier forward Bridget Porter. Mack missed, but the shot was called off. One-and-one from the line.

Naturally, she drained them both.

Just about perfect.