There is something missing from the Bryce Jordan Center.

In reality, there is a lot missing from the Jordan Center.

Championship banners. Excitement. Entertaining basketball.

Let's be honest, the Jordan Center may never, and probably will never, become a major player in terms of its basketball significance. It doesn't exactly give visiting teams a sense of "you can't win here."

There is one thing that can and should be done to actually make it seem like the oddly shaped building that lurks in the shadows of Beaver Stadium actually hosts basketball games and not just concerts.

Hoist something up to the rafters. Make it the only thing Penn State basketball can be proud of. Make it Penn State's Kelly Mazzante's No. 13 jersey.

Mazzante is Penn State basketball, not just the women's variety.

With all due respect to Eddie D, he has a long way to go before that bobblehead becomes a statue outside the stadium.

Back to the matter at hand. To list all of Mazzante's accomplishments would be too time and space consuming, anger whoever actually cares enough about women's basketball to read this.

What Kelly is, simply put, is the most prolific scorer ever in the Big Ten, including the actual sport of men's basketball.

Not that this closes the gap much between the different sexes.

It's hard to believe that Calbert Cheaney held this record for almost 10 seasons. That is, until a woman from Montoursville decided to come play for Rene Portland in Happy Valley.

During Kelly's tenure at Penn State, she has been the marquee player on a team that has never been able to fully support her abilities and take the next step.

Even in her freshman season in 2000-2001, with several players returning from the Final Four visit the previous season, the Lady Lions couldn't get any farther than the first round of the NCAA tournament.

This season was supposed to be it for Penn State, the time Rene's Dunkers got to pack their bags for a trip to the Final Four.

However, an inside game which still leaves something to be desired, and a short bench still leave questions to be answered.

The simple answer is that Mazzante will have to hit the gym and work on her shoulder exercises to once again put the feminine version of the Lions on her back and carry them to a party on Bourbon Street in April for the Final Four.

Whether that happens or not, the emphasis being on "not," just the fact that Penn State is being mentioned in the same sentence as "Final Four" should be enough to earn Mazzante the greatest praise Penn State can offer.

This whole idea of retiring a women's basketball player's number has come up thanks to Duke University, which retired Alana Beard's No. 20 jersey on Saturday.

Beard became the first woman in Duke history to have her number retired, joining 11 men's basketball players whose jerseys hang from the rafters at famed Cameron Indoor Stadium, including such players as Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Jason Williams.

While being a copycat is not generally a good thing, in this instance it's absolutely the right thing to do, despite the fact no athletes have ever had their numbers retired by Penn State.

I don't doubt that Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley is a busy man, but somewhere on his desk, in his nice office in the Bryce Jordan Center, there has to be a piece of paper with plans of a Kelly Mazzante Day sometime this season. Whether it was initiated by Rene Portland, Curley himself, or yours truly, somebody has to bring this idea to fruition.

How about Feb. 29?

The Lady Lions will be hosting Purdue in Mazzante's final home game of her career, a game that could very well decide the Big Ten regular season champion.

Adding to it, it's Kelly Mazzante growth chart day.

Whose idea was that?

If all signs are not pointing to a special afternoon, then I don't know what will.

It's true most jerseys are retired many years after an athlete has finished his or her career, or moved on from a school.

However, there are always special cases for special players, and Mazzante is just that.

She has become Penn State basketball.