When the Penn State women's basketball team was in the midst of a losing streak earlier this season, the Lady Lions' coaching staff asked their players to come up with goals for how far the team was capable of going. Few of the young Lions could see past their dismal 9-7 record at the time, but sophomore Kelly Mazzante said her goal was to reach the Sweet 16.

Suddenly, Mazzante doesn't seem so crazy anymore.

The Lions advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last night thanks to Mazzante's strong efforts in first-and second-round wins over Chattanooga and Florida International this weekend at The Bryce Jordan Center.

The co-captain dropped 26 points against the Lady Mocs to lead all scorers Friday evening, and exploded for 32 against the Golden Panthers last night. Along the way Mazzante reset a 17-year-old Big Ten record for scoring in a single season, set by Northwestern's Anucha Browne in 1984-85.

"Before the game started, I grabbed her by the head and reminded her that she said she was going to take us to the Sweet 16," Lions' head coach Rene Portland said. "Once again, she did what she was supposed to do and took her team with her."

Mazzante electrified the Jordan Center crowd with her 12-for-26 shooting and six three pointers against the Panthers. With the Lions ahead by 10 with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game, Mazzante sank three deep treys over a span of three minutes, including a shot from nearly six feet beyond the arc which gave her a record 857 points on the year. Mazzante's shooting brought the crowd to its feet and surprised even Portland, a 26-year coaching veteran.

"I sort of laugh or say 'oh my god,'" Portland said of Mazzante's highlight-reel shots. "I usually look at the officials, because you see the officials flinch when she does it. She really is in a world of her own sometimes, and we just leave her alone."

Panthers' head coach Cindy Russo said her squad tried its hardest to contain Mazzante through a variety of defensive schemes, but the nation's leading scorer and second-team All-American proved to be too tough to handle.

"I thought we had her out of range at some times but she still made it," Russo said.

Chattanooga head coach Wes Moore had little to say after Mazzante's outstanding game on Friday, when she recorded three steals and finished 9-for-18 from the floor against the Mocs.

"What can you say?" Moore said. "She deserves every accolade she achieves."

Mazzante said she had almost forgotten about her earlier prediction of a Sweet 16 appearance for the Lions, but Portland's reminder before last night's game put the sophomore into a good mood.

"I really truly believed that we could make it regardless of where our record was earlier in the season," Mazzante said. "We were 9-7 at one point, and to now be in the Sweet 16, it's just a tremendous feeling."

The Montoursville native also said that this weekend's victories marked some of the Lions' best play of the season and provided a peak at just the right time.

"I really think everybody's starting to play to their potential," Mazzante said. "With the excitement of the crowd the whole weekend and the excitement of playing together, I really don't think we could get any closer."