Being the center of attention normally stems from a winning tradition and when most people think of Penn State basketball it is hard for anyone to give them any respect since the team has gone five years without participating in the NCAA Tournament.

However, after defeating Michigan State, 65-63, in the Big Ten tournament two weeks ago and knocking off North Carolina, 82-74, the Nittany Lions (21-11) are starting to be compared to the football team, that until last year received a lot of appreciation in this town.

"There has definitely been a buzz around here," Joe Crispin said. "You know I normally blend in pretty easily, but a lot of people are coming up to me and saying 'congratulations' and 'good luck.'

But we all know that it could be over real quick and we don't want that to happen. I'm still hungry."

With fans parading down Beaver Ave. after Sunday's upset and several hundreds of die hard Penn Staters greeting the team at the University Park Airport, the lack of respect appears to be wearing thin in a town that for a long time only got excited like this during the fall.

"This just proves that Penn State belongs with all the other top teams out there," Penn State student Mike Bliskell said Sunday after the Lions victory against North Carolina. "No one, not even around here, gives them the respect they truly deserve. I hope this win sent a message to everybody that Penn State is a great team."

For the most part it has. The Lions are attracting major media coverage wherever they go.

On Monday morning, Penn State was the lead story on ESPN and now an article can be found in every major paper across the country.

Whether it's Jon and Joe Crispin being featured as a brotherly act and being compared to the two Collins twins in Jason, Jaron, who play for No. 1 seeded Stanford. Or maybe Titus Ivory's long road to become the player he is today. Possibly even Gyasi Cline-Heard emerging as a public figure every time he sends kisses to the crowd after every win.

People around the country want to know who this Penn State basketball is?

"It's certainly a different experience," Penn State head coach Jerry Dunn said Tuesday.

The facts speak for themselves when Dunn is asked about the success that the Lions have had this season. First, they traveled to Kentucky over Thanksgiving break and upended the Wildcats in Rupp Arena.

Then after winning the Christmas Tournament in New York, the Lions defeated Illinois at home in front of 9,000 fans in late January.

Despite those big wins against top teams, the Lions finished the regular season by dropping three out of four games.

At the time, the losses left many wondering if the Lions were good enough to be in the NCAA Tournament. However, after winning a pair of games down the stretch in the Big Ten tournament, including the win against Michigan State, the Lions have finally silenced their critics and answered the call by winning two games last weekend.

"Give Penn State credit, they're a good team," Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said. "Jerry has a great bunch of kids. They've worked hard this year."

And for the first time in a long time many people are noticing the Lions, as Penn State men's basketball being played in the middle of March appears to have a nice ring to it.