Northwestern has been able to give its opponents trouble all season long.

At 8 this evening, it will look to do the same thing to Penn State when the Nittany Lions travel to Evanston, Ill.

The last time the Wildcats (9-17, 1-12 Big Ten) played Penn State this season, they gave the Lions all they could handle for much of the game by shooting the ball very well from behind the arc.

Northwestern took an eight-point lead into halftime and continued to give Penn State problems early on in the second half.

The close contest has served as a reminder to Penn State (16-7, 6-6) that despite the Wildcats record, they play hard all the time.

"Our kids can not look past anyone," Penn State men's basketball coach Jerry Dunn said. "The last time we played Northwestern we were 14 down."

Just 11 days ago, the Wildcats earned their lone Big Ten win against a tough Iowa team. In the victory, Winston Blake put up 20 points and grabbed five rebounds. He and teammate Jitim Young combined for 36 points on the night.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, Blake will not be in playing at 100 percent when he steps on the floor tonight. The sophomore has been plagued with tendonitis in his foot for the past couple of games and, although he has played with the pain, he is not playing with the same intensity as he once did.

"Winston Blake's foot has been bothering him for a little while," Northwestern head coach Bill Carmody said. "He really hasn't practiced real hard and hopefully it will feel a lot better."

Since the win against Iowa, Northwestern has struggled to claim another victory in the conference, dropping its last two games to Indiana and Wisconsin.

While Northwestern's success has been limited this season, the Lions are making their move toward an NCAA Tournament bid for the first time since 1996.

After a pair of wins against Minnesota and Purdue, Penn State is taking one game at a time and is enjoying the concept of team basketball.

The Lions have gotten production from all over the floor, with senior Gyasi Cline-Heard and junior forward Tyler Smith paving the way inside. Cline-Heard who has played solid all season long, might have had his biggest game of the year versus Minnesota. He exploded for 21 points and six rebounds, while Smith added 15 points, eight rebounds and a team-high four blocked shots.

From the perimeter, Penn State guards have been shooting a remarkable 60 percent from the field in the last two games. One of the players who has been consistent all year long and gaining additional respect around the conference is senior Titus Ivory.

Ivory leads the Big Ten in steals with 60 and is considered the glue that holds the Lions together.

"Ivory might be the most underrated player out there," Carmody said. "He can make the long shots. He can play good defense. He just seems to do everything you ask of him. He just has a good concept of the game."

With all the pieces appearing to fall into place, Penn State is beginning to prove to many that they know how to win as a team.