For the second consecutive Sunday, an opponent held Kelly Mazzante well below her nation-topping scoring average.

However, the Penn State women's basketball team still flourished, beating ninth ranked Wisconsin 63-49, at The Bryce Jordan Center.

Leading the Lady Lions both on the floor and the sideline was senior forward Rashana Barnes, who played all forty minutes, scoring 16 points while pulling down 13 rebounds. Mazzante added a quiet 16 points, while always being dogged by a defender.

Badgers forward Jessie Stomski provided the spark for the Badgers, scoring 14 of her 20 points in the

second half. Guard Kyle Black contributed 14, including a pair of three pointers.

"I was really disappointed in my team and how they played in a big game," said Wisconsin coach Jane Albright, who questioned her team's effort working for rebounds, a category Penn State dominated 42-30.

Rebounding was a priority early in the game as both teams shot poorly. Penn State finally began to get offensive production six minutes into the game, when the Lions managed a nine point run fueled by a pair of Jess Brungo steals to take a 12-8 lead.

Barnes, forward Courtney Upshaw and center Jackie Shook controlled the paint on defense, stifling Stomski's moves toward the basket, allowing the Lions to have a 27-25 halftime advantage.

After trading baskets, Penn State guard Jess Strom allowed the Lions to open up an insurmountable lead, hitting three three-pointers from an almost identical spot over a five-minute stretch during which Penn State pulled ahead 50-37 with 8:38 left.

"They're daggers," Penn State coach Rene Portland said of her point guards' baskets. "They leave her open and she nails them."

Perhaps equally important during the second half was the play of guard Tanisha Wright, whose task was to cover Wisconsin guard Tamara Moore. Wright made Moore disappear in the second half, as she finished with eight points, nine less than her season average.

"She did a great job of pressuring," Moore said. "She didn't play like a freshman."

Wisconsin tried to mount a late comeback, with a Stephanie Rich three-pointer with 2:04. However, Penn State's clock management proved too much, leaving the Badgers no time for a rally.

"I'm excited about the way we played it's something we could have done a while ago," Barnes said.

Regardless of the past, Penn State needs to continue its high level of play closing out the regular season with a NCAA tournament berth on the line.

"We have a big challenge ahead of us right now, to go three on the road," Portland said. "We'll see how close they are. . .the true test is how we survive this three game road stretch."