A little more than a week ago, the Lions (12-4, 4-2 Big Ten) were mired in a two-game losing streak, sitting at 1-2 in conference play and dwelling near the bottom of the Big Ten standings. However, like a resurgent tide, Penn State has regrouped and crashed upon its opposition, winning convincingly in three consecutive conference matchups, and moving up to a second-place tie in the Big Ten. Most recently, the Lions soundly defeated Michigan 74-66 in Ann Arbor, Mich.

After last Friday's victory over Iowa, head coach Rene Portland explained that part of the turnaround was based on soundly scouting opponents and analyzing her own team's strengths and weaknesses.

"We looked at the games we won, and looked at the losses," Portland said. "We looked at who was in the games and what worked and what didn't."

Apparently, it's done the trick.

Also on the mend is the Lions' 3-point shooting, which was grotesque of late. After hitting a respectable 8 for 23 from long distance against Arkansas, the Lions shot an anemic 3 for 11 against Michigan State, before bottoming out at 1 for 6 against Iowa.

Portland offered a simple solution for the shooting malady.

"Get in the gym," she said.

Shawnta Vanzant, Chrissy Falcone and Lisa Shepherd got the message. In Sunday's victory against Michigan, the trio shot like Marine Corps snipers, draining three 3-pointers each and accounting for Penn State's outstanding 9 for 13 day from beyond the arc.

Finally, the play of forward Clara Carter has been on the upswing. After spending the opening part of the season in practical anonymity, Carter has had several solid performances in recent games. Following an impressive outing against Iowa in which she platooned with Rashana Barnes and Maren Walseth, Portland said, "Clara was much better tonight than in any of her games since Christmas."

And she would get better. Against Michigan, Carter tallied a double-double, scoring 16, her highest total of the season, and snagging 10 rebounds.

With the meat of their conference schedule on the menu, and the opening act of the 1998-99 season completed, the Lions are gaining momentum at a crucial juncture in their season. However, as in many of the Lions' games this season, and in many past seasons, Penn State has been sluggish in the beginning of the second half. If the Lions expect to be in postseason contention, they'll have to break that habit.