Mason's first of two shots rolled off the top of the rim, taking the crowd to its collective feet. After hitting the second for a three-point lead, the Lions marched down the court for a chance to take the game into overtime.

With the clock ticking and the Badgers swarming to the ball, guard Joe Crispin launched a desperation three from the top of the arc.

But once again, the ball bounced off the front of the rim, and the Lions were sent to their third straight loss, a 61-58 disappointment last night at The Bryce Jordan Center. The game was delayed 82 minutes because the game officials encountered inclement weather on their way to the Center.

"I don't mind taking (the final shot)," said Crispin, the Lions' top scorer with 18 points. "If I have an open look, yeah, I'll take it."

Very reminiscent of the Lions' 70-67 Jan. 6 loss to Purdue, Crispin had defenders around him at every angle, and his shot was just short.

However, the Lions (9-6, 1-4 Big Ten) had another chance to make the night five minutes longer.

After Crispin's rebound trickled out of bounds and as the final buzzer sounded throughout the Center, the officials determined -- after watching several replays -- that it did so with time remaining and put six-tenths of a second back onto the clock.

Forward Gyasi Cline-Heard found himself open during the mad scramble on the inbound pass, and guard Titus Ivory hit him at the arc along the left side of the court.

But the rushed shot was well off its mark.

"A loss is disappointing at anytime," Penn State coach Jerry Dunn said. "We competed and played well enough to win, but we did not get the job done."

The Lions, who had been out-rebounded in six successive games, finally hit the boards last night and grabbed 31 rebounds to the Badgers' 29 while hitting from all parts of the floor in the first half.

But after executing well offensively early for a 27-21 halftime lead, the Lions went scoreless for 2:48 of the second, while the Badgers tossed in eight straight points, leading to a 31-29 advantage with 15:17 left in the game.

"It was a situation where the ball was mishandled here and there," Dunn said. "I don't think there's a specific reason. In the second half they shot themselves in the foot."

After playing even with the Badgers, Wisconsin (15-3, 3-2) took leads of six and then seven points before the Lions closed the gap made their final attempt to get even in the final minutes.

And it was Mason that allowed the Badgers to stay on top, scoring 13 of his 17 points in the second half.

"This was a very important win for us, especially the way it came," Badgers coach Dick Bennett said. "There were two teams executing offensively down the stretch as well as they can."

The Lions -- off until next Wednesday -- now face a three-game road swing, beginning at Northwestern.

And it is on the road where Penn State has skidded most this season.

"We just have to take it one at a time," Dunn said. "We have to strap ‘em up. Go out and compete and get a chance to win basketball games again."