Adding to the buildup of tomorrow's clash between Penn State and Purdue at noon in the Bryce Jordan Center, the Nittany Lion athletic department has been promoting new and exciting pre-game traditions to be unveiled for the first time before tommorow's conference opener.

Here's an idea for a new tradition the Lions might want to look into: How about winning a Big Ten game?

Dating back to 2001, Penn State (5-8, Big Ten 0-2) has lost 16 of its last 19 conference games and is off to a poor start this season. That said, the Lions' opening two Big Ten games this season were on the road and they have traditionally been much tougher in the friendly confines of the Jordan Center.

"Home-court advantage is extremely important," Penn State head coach Jerry Dunn said. "But we have to score baskets. We hit a stretch where we didn't score for five to seven minutes or longer [last Saturday against Michigan]. In this game you have to put the ball in the basket.

"We have to be able to finish, whether it's off a dribble-drive or a clean look at the basket."

Purdue (10-3, 2-0), on the other hand, is off to a blistering start in the conference and has won five straight games overall, the latest being a suprisingly easy win over Michigan State on Wednesday.

Spearheading the Boilermakers' effort has been guard Willie Deane. The Big Ten's leading returning scorer, Deane has been nothing short of inspirational for Purdue, scoring nearly 17 points per game and causing headaches for opposing coaches and players alike. Deane had a double-double in the win over the Spartans, eliciting shining praise from his coach, the venerable Gene Keady.

"His rebounding is unbelievable for a man his size," Keady said. "He's capable of a triple-double. And what makes me happiest is that he does it within the system."

Tomorrow's game should be a great backcourt battle with Deane going head-to-head with the guard tandem of Brandon Watkins and Sharif Chambliss, the unquestioned leaders of the Lions for two years now.

And while things may seem a little bleak for Penn State, with pressure mounting from all sides, the Lions can take solace in the fact that they beat a very similar Purdue team last February, 81-68. "I know they haven't gotten off to the best start this year, so they'll want to win this game, especially at home," Keady said. "It's going to be quite a battle."