It's a good thing I write about basketball instead of play it.

And it's not because I can't hit a jump shot to save my life these days, although that's true.

It's because for the last two weeks I've been doing exactly what a focused, dedicated player shouldn't do: I've been looking ahead.

Looking ahead to the game I knew would be the penultimate one to this point in the season for the Penn State women's basketball team. Ahead to a battle sure to have intrigue and excitement twice that of at least three of the four games preceding it. I didn't even want to think about enduring the droopy-eyed, yawn-inducing snoozers against Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa. I only wanted to think about the big one.

And it's finally here.

The Lady Lions will clash with Purdue at 1:30 p.m. Sunday in the Bryce Jordan Center.

It's the No. 4 team in the country (Purdue) versus No. 6 (Penn State), for the Big Ten regular-season title. It also happens to be the biggest game women's college basketball has to offer this particular weekend. No wonder I couldn't wait for this game to get here.

And while looking ahead to the game I -- and probably everyone else who follows women's hoops -- knew would decide the conference crown, the same thought kept ringing in my head, the same two words: show me.

You'd swear Penn State was playing Missouri the way these two syllables reverberated in my mind over and over. But why these two words? Why "show me"?

Because on Sunday the Lions will have the chance to "show me" what kind of basketball team they really are. And show me why I'm going to be sorry for predicting them to win only 13 Big Ten games and only make it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.

But instead of "show me," let's change it to "show us." Because this Penn State team has things to prove to people who are much more consequential than myself.

So show us, Lady Lions. Show the 16,000 that will pack the Jordan Center and show the ESPN2 national audience -- which will include poll voters and selection committee members -- who you are.

Show us why it should be you -- and not Purdue -- who's recognized nationally as the powerhouse in the Big Ten.

You can send the message to the poll voters: they've been wrong to consistently rank you lower than the Boilermakers, even though you defeated them at their place on Jan. 2.

Show us that your first win in West Lafayette, Ind., in four years wasn't a fluke.

Show us that you are the Big Ten's best and deserve consideration for a No. 1 seed in the Big Ten and NCAA tournament. You can prove you are a team of the caliber deserving to be mentioned with, dare I say, Duke, UConn and Tennessee.

Show us, Kelly Mazzante, that you deserve to be the Big Ten Player of the Year for the second straight time. You can make us realize that your recent slump will pass as quickly as you pull the trigger on your next jump shot.

Show us why you are the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Tanisha Wright. You can lock down Purdue's star player, guard Shereka Wright, like you've done to so many top scorers in the past. You can let everyone know that, up until last week's Big Ten Player of the Week honors, you've been under-appreciated all season, and you are still an All-Big Ten performer.

Show us that your nearly flawless game on a big stage against then-No. 2 Texas was not an anomaly, Jess Strom. You can prove against Purdue what your head coach has said about you several times this season that you are the best point guard in the Big Ten.

Show us you will continue to be Ms. Clutch, Jess Brungo. You can remind us that you are the captain and the heart beat of this team.

And no one has a chance to show us more than you, post players.

You can be in position to dominate this game because Purdue doesn't have anyone over 6-foot-1 in its starting line up. No Penn State position has been more chastised this season, even by your own coach. And now you can show us what kind of players you are.

So there you have it, Lady Lions.

The know-it-all basketball writer who can't shoot a jumper to save his life just pompously stuck his nose in where it doesn't belong and told you what you have to do to win this game.

But I'm sure you already knew what you needed to do anyway.

Now show us.