It's a big week for women's basketball in the Big Ten.

Sunday afternoon, Purdue (14-2, 4-1) nabbed its biggest win of the conference season, handing Minnesota, previously the only undefeated team in the nation, its first loss, dropping it to 15-1 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten. Minnesota senior guard Lindsay Whalen has closed to within 17 points of the Minnesota all-time women's career scoring record, with a total of 2,081 points. And tomorrow night, Penn State and Minnesota, the top two teams in the conference, will face off in the week's premier matchup.

Despite the importance of these events, the focus still remains on Penn State senior guard Kelly Mazzante, who broke the women's Big Ten career scoring record Sunday afternoon and now is within 20 points of breaking former Indiana standout Calbert Cheaney's all-time Big Ten career scoring mark of 2,613 points.

Since Sunday afternoon, Mazzante has wanted nothing more than to put the record behind her and move on. But, with thousands of adoring fans, that hasn't been easy.

"There's been a lot of e-mails, a lot of phone calls," Mazzante said. "Sometimes [the callers] didn't even say their names, they just said, 'Hey, congratulations!' "

Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland has certainly not been anxious to take the focus off her star player, at least for now. She has cited the excitement involved in having a congratulatory message on the Bryce Jordan Center marquee sign and has remembered the start of Mazzante's siege on the record books. And when asked if Mazzante could be the best player ever to wear a Lady Lions jersey, Portland did not take anything away from the focal point of her offense.

"I do think that Kelly has made a distinct mark [and has] the credentials to say she's among my favorite five," Portland said. "If we retired her jersey, there could be no plate [listing her achievements] under her jersey; there'd be too much to write. I think you're close [by asking me if she is the best Lion ever] without me saying it.

Mazzante admitted that she does remember the day that Portland first put her in the class with former Lady Lions stars Suzie McConnell-Serio and Susan Robinson. But in classic Mazzante style, she again put the focus on the team.

"It is a big week for us," she said. "We have to take it one game at a time."

Australian out, back

In yesterday's press conference, Portland announced that senior guard Melanie Croser would make her return to the court at some point this season. Croser has been sidelined all season with a back injury, sustained after colliding with a member of the practice squad in the fall.

"She will practice; she will play," Portland said. "We have had a major breakthrough with therapy and will allow her to come into limited contact with the team next week. We're headed in the right direction."