Last Friday, the women's basketball team traveled to Urbana-Champaign, Ill., and dismantled Illinois, 75-63, improving its record to 5-2 in the Big Ten. On that same evening in West Lafayette, Ind., Purdue downed Wisconsin 68-66, dropping the Badgers to 6-2 in the conference, and setting up the ideal scenario.

When Penn State and Wisconsin entered Rec Hall yesterday at 2 p.m., sole possession of the Big Ten top spot was on the proverbial line.

Despite shooting a dismal 34.4 percent from the floor, the No. 10 Lady Lions (15-3, 6-2 Big Ten) claimed that top spot by outlasting the Badgers, 58-55, in front of 5,006 raucous Blue and White fans.

"It was an ugly game," Penn State Coach Rene Portland said. "We just didn't want to put the ball in the basket. But I think there comes a time in life when you just find a way to win."

With two minutes, 50 seconds remaining in the game and the shot clock winding down, Penn State guard Carla Coleman made a shot in the paint to pull the Lady Lions within one point of Wisconsin. The score: 53-52.

Then, Coleman stole the ball from Badger point guard Keisha Anderson and scored on a layup, giving her team the lead for good.

Portland said Coleman assumed the leadership role on the court, especially down the stretch.

"(Coleman) just refuses to lose," Portland said.

Playing the entire game, Coleman poured in 19 points, made three steals and grabbed three rebounds.

"I think not only myself turned it up, but everyone on the court turned it up," Coleman said. "We knew what was at stake."

Coleman's backcourt mate Tina Nicholson was also instrumental in the Lady Lions' victory. The 5-foot-3-inch point guard scored 17 points, dished out five assists and racked up four steals.

From the opening tip, it was a seesaw battle with the lead changing several times. Wisconsin led 29-27 at the intermission.

"Wisconsin picked away at anything they wanted to pick away at," Portland said of Penn State's inability to shut down the Badgers in the opening stanza.

Wisconsin was led by Barb Franke's 17 points and 12 rebounds. Franke also kept Penn State's leading scorer Angie Potthoff in check for most of the game, limiting the Lady Lion forward to 10 points.

Perhaps Anderson summed up the game best.

"That's the kind of play you're going to see when you have two teams going for first place," she said.