No. 7 vs. No. 9.

Big Ten Conference rivals.

Two of the best guards in the nation, Penn State's Kelly Mazzante and Minnesota's Lindsay Whalen, going head to head.

Mazzante 20 points shy of passing former Indiana Hoosier Calbert Cheaney's all-time Big Ten scoring mark for both men and women.

Whatever battle within the battle emerges between the No. 7 Lady Lions (13-3, 6-0 Big Ten) and No. 9 Minnesota (15-1, 4-1), this game is bound to go down in the annals of Penn State basketball history.

A loss would ruin the Lady Lions' chances of running the table and finishing with a perfect record in the Big Ten, not to mention erase almost any chance of finishing with a top-five national ranking.

The game is just as big for Minnesota, since a loss would leave them two games behind Penn State in the Big Ten and push them out of the top 10.

But once again, all eyes will fall on No. 13 just four days after she broke the Big Ten's all-time women's career scoring record.

As usual, Mazzante didn't make too much of the record at the team's weekly press conference. "I usually don't like to know about it unless it's under 10," Mazzante said. "Then I'll take care of it and get rid of it."

Last time the teams met, a 73-57 Lady Lion loss, the senior from Montoursville only had 11 points.

Minnesota brings in an explosive scorer of its own, the Big Ten's No. 2 scorer, Whalen, who is averaging just under 22 points per game.

Take this as a good or bad sign, but Minnesota is coming off a loss to then No. 10 Purdue, who Penn State defeated earlier this season.

Purdue's defense had success shutting down Whalen, forcing the senior into nine turnovers. This is something Penn State head coach Rene Portland took notice of and will try to use to her advantage.

"I think Lindsay showed some frustration [against Purdue], which probably didn't help her," Portland said. "Purdue just came out and played great defense and, that's what we have to do."

If the plan to shut down Whalen does work, then Penn State will still have to deal with 6-foot-2 center Janel McCarville. McCarville, a junior who is averaging a double-double this season (16 points and 10 rebounds), leads the Big Ten in shooting percentage and is second in the conference in blocks.

As for her team's focus heading into the game, Portland said, "We're real focused. We're real excited that they're coming in, and we want to stay undefeated in the conference."