If last Thursday's shooting performance from Joe Crispin in Penn State's annual Blue-White game is any indication of what lies ahead for the Nittany Lions, they will be looking for someone to step up inside.

At 7:30 tonight, someone will get their chance, as Penn State will play its first of two preseason contests against Marathon Oil in The Bryce Jordan Center.

Although the sharp-shooting senior was 11-for-23 from the floor and scored 31 points in the victory, he still missed 12 shots.

Because of that fact, the Lions must crash the offensive boards better than they did a year ago. Throughout the off-season, Penn State head basketball coach Jerry Dunn has spoken highly of Gyasi Cline-Heard. The forward knows that his role is just as important as Crispin's and looks forward to the challenge this season.

"Being one of the only front-line players with any experience, it is definitely going to be up to me to play well on the inside," Cline-Heard said.

In the Blue-White scrimmage, Cline-Heard had a double-double for the Blue team, the same team Crispin was on.

Playing against Marathon Oil is an annual preseason event for the Lions. In last season's match up, Penn State defeated Marathon Oil 81-75. In the game, Crispin and former Penn State forward Jarrett Stephens tied for team-high honors by scoring 19 points apiece in the victory.

Marathon Oil is made up of former players from Rutgers, Dayton, New Mexico State and others, and the Lions use the matchup as a warm-up to allow underclassmen to demonstrate what they can do, which is something that could help Penn State later on in the season.

"I think it would be good to get some of the younger guys in the early games like Marathon Oil," Penn State sophomore Jon Crispin said.

Despite having the starting five for Penn State pretty much set, the Lions hope to establish a strong bench in this preseason.

Some of the key reserves that will be looked at to step up this season for Penn State are Marcus Banta, Stephan Bekale and Brandon Watkins. Although Watkins looked good by having nine points in the scrimmage, Bekale and Banta struggled by combining for seven points in all.

And in a strong conference like the Big Ten a strong bench will be key for the Lions success this season.

"Everybody else pretty much will have to prove themselves to the coaches," Cline-Heard said. "And if they want to play, they have to put it on their own shoulders."