He's never competed there, but his teammates have told him stories about performing at Rec Hall.

"They say the meets are pretty crazy up there," said Ohio State gymnast Drew Durbin, "that they're pretty loud."

The Buckeye freshman will confront the Rec Hall energy for the first time at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow when No. 1 Ohio State (4-0) faces No. 5 Penn State (7-1).

While both teams are expecting the crowd to live up to its reputation, the Buckeyes realize where the spirit they hear will be directed.

"The majority of the people there are going to be rooting against us," Ohio State senior Dave Alexander said. "Sometimes when you get into a little trouble at home and the crowd starts to get behind you, it spurs you on to do a little bit better."

An energetic crowd can make a visting team nervous, Joe Roemer said. "It's always important to intimidate the other team."

However, on Saturday, the fans will be far from the deciding factor. In order to win, the Lions must perform close to perfection.

"We can't make any mistakes," J.M. Michel said. "We really have to go out there and hit."

Lion stand-out performers include freshman Tom Ellefson, who is ranked fifth on the high bar. The Buckeyes boast three national team members: senior Kip Simon, Durbin and freshman Blaine Wilson. Wilson currently holds the top all-around spot.

Along with its top ranking, Ohio State brings a lot of familiar faces to Rec Hall. Outside the college arena, the opposing gymnasts have rooted for each other. But as Durbin learned, the college atmosphere is different.

"Gymnastics isn't like any other sport," the Columbus, Ohio, native said. "We still cheer for each other. Not in a dual meet. I found that out in college. We don't cheer as much, but at nationals I cheered for Brandy (Wood)."

Lions' Coach Randy Jepson said the friendly competition is healthy for athletes -- it adds intensity.

"They're all good friends," Jepson said. "But at the same time, when it comes time to raise your hand in front of a judge, they put their meet face on and they're ready to go to battle."

Note:

-- Freshman Josh Turner will miss the remainder of the season after dislocating his left elbow. Freshman Tyson Bryant is questionable for the meet after suffering a sprained ankle.