Lady Lions find much-needed momentum

This weekend the Penn State women's basketball team had a magical feeling for the first time this season.

They smiled and laughed this time around, rather than worrying like last weekend, when their frustration over possibly missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1989, crept into their minds.

Not only because the Lady Lions pulled off impressive wins over No. 19 Michigan State and Wisconsin, but to give their thanks, hugs and kisses to the senior duo of Angie Potthoff and Tiffany Longworth.

Prior to the pre-game tributes to the pair before Penn State's 90-62 thrashing of the Badgers, and the 69-65 upset of the Spartans, members of the team played practical jokes on Potthoff and Longworth during the week, giving the underclassmen a chance to let out some steam, and keeping the seniors relaxed.

"This whole week has been exciting," Potthoff said. "It kept us loose."

The Lady Lions may have been loose on the court, but not on defense. Putting pressure in the paint, hustling to the boards and grabbing for every loose ball was a determining factor in Penn State's strong play in this weekend's victories. The Lady Lions forced Michigan State to commit 21 turnovers in Friday's win, and caused Wisconsin to shoot 36 percent from the field.

"This past weekend, our defense has been exciting," Penn State coach Rene Portland said.

Now with the weekend festivities wrapped up, Penn State sets its sights to what could be their salvation and a ticket to the Big Dance. The Big Ten tournament has belonged to the Lady Lions the last two years. But with a younger mix of players and a tougher road to climb, Portland wants her team to hold on to what they worked so hard to capture this weekend. The big Mo.

"We're looking for momentum, and put our magic into our bottle," Portland said.

The Lady Lions will play Ohio State in the first round of the tournament in Indianapolis 6 p.m. on Friday. Even though Penn State defeated the Buckeyes earlier in the season, the emotional push by the team must be evident in not only the game, but through every game Penn State plays.

"Everyone's been pushing and digging," Potthoff said. "When we play with emotion, we play better."

After a weekend of turmoil and controversy, the Lady Lions got a weekend of fun and intensity. To Portland, it's almost like a rebirth of the past Lady Lion teams that found wins amongst adversity.

"The fat lady hasn't sung yet on this program," Portland said, "and we're ready to play."