A tale of two Crispins: one is young, outspoken and confident about this year's team.

The other is reserved and ready to guide this season's Penn State men's basketball squad toward its main goal.

Either way both Crispins head into the 2000-01 campaign with one thing on their minds and that is to take their team to a place where they have not gone in five seasons — the NCAA Tournament.

"I really don't think anybody out there is that good," Jon said.

While Jon was filled with one liners yesterday, he is anxious about the potential on this year's squad and knows what can be improved upon last season.

"It was disappointing to see the way things happened," Penn State head coach Jerry Dunn said about last season.

This year's Penn State squad is different. The Lions are without any dominant presence inside and for success will go through Jon's older brother Joe and fellow senior guard Titus Ivory.

The outside game of those two guards plus the inside presence of senior forward Gyasi Cline-Heard will all factor into play if Penn State is to exceed their NIT Final Four bid last season.

While most sports writers have already placed Penn State at the lower end of the totem pole in the Big Ten, Joe embraces the challenge as he begins his final season in a Penn State uniform.

"I can understand why we have been picked so low based on what we have done in past seasons, but we are playing a more perimeter style of offense this season than we have played in the past," he said.

"Before it was always pass first then shoot. Which is the Penn State way. Set up the offense and then play defense which is all well and good if you have the right personnel."

While poor chemistry plagued the Lions last season, this years squad is run more towards favoring the guards style of play which fits Joe just fine.

The team enters the year with six guards on their roster who, for the most part, will see action sometime this season.

Last season, Joe seemed to find himself with the ball in his hand at crucial times and miss shots some felt he could have dealt off to other players. And this season he hopes he will not have to take that opportunity every time.

"I want to do what is best for winning. If I need to score points to win than I will score points. If I need not to score points to win than I could care less. It's the situations that I have been in high school and college that dictate it."

With no dominate center standing out on Penn State's team, the Lions know the weight of this season's squad will lie in the hands of their perimeter shooters and most importantly the success of Joe Crispin.