Good teams know how to handle a loss. They realize that on any given night, anything and everything could go wrong. Or every once in a while, they'll run into a team as good as or better than themselves.

But losing two in a row is hard for even good teams to stomach, and the Penn State women's basketball team is no different.

The No. 13 Lady Lions (11-4, 3-1 Big Ten) head into Crisler Arena at 7 tonight to battle Michigan (8-6, 1-3). Penn State is coming off a tough four-point loss to Illinois this past Sunday, and hopes it will be able to bounce back in typical Lion fashion. Penn State has not lost back-to-back Big Ten contests since February 1998.

"We have to try and redeem ourselves," junior guard Katrena Carr said. "We played bad (Sunday) and we're a better team than that. We're going to focus on getting our intensity back."

Intensity is a trait Michigan women's basketball coach Sue Guevara will try to impart on her struggling Wolverine squad tonight. Michigan has lost each of its last three Big Ten battles, most recently a 79-58 road loss to Iowa, and Guevara is looking for someone to provide a spark.

"I'm pulling teeth to get kids to shoot," she said.

Guevara has reason to be concerned about the state of her offense. Only one Wolverine, sophomore center LeeAnn Bies, is averaging in double figures since the conference schedule began.

Michigan's fifth-year coach knows her team will have to get it done on both ends of the court to get off its recent slide.

"We're just a team right now that needs to refocus, recommit to playing defense," she said.

Guevara's counterpart, Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland, was disappointed with her team's play at Illinois, but she made it clear the Lions would be ready to play tonight.

"I don't think we'll see the same team," she said.

One of tonight's featured matchups will be Bies, who is averaging 12.5 points per Big Ten contest, against Penn State junior Rashana Barnes, who puts in 10.3 points per night. Youth will be served as well, as Michigan's freshman duo of Stephanie Gandy and Michaela Leary will square off with Lion rookies Kelly Mazzante and Jessica Brungo on the perimeter.

Although three of Penn State's four losses this season have come away from the friendly confines of The Bryce Jordan Center, Portland and Company are confident they will avoid back-to-back losses, in spite of the fact that Michigan seems due for a conference win.

"Coming off a loss, I'd rather play a strong team than a weak one," Portland said.

Like all good teams, Penn State wouldn't have it any other way.