The Penn State men's basketball team is heading into Saturday's game against Sacred Heart riding the high from its victory against Lehigh last Friday.

The Nittany Lions are looking for their first two-game winning streak since victories against Minnesota and Ohio State to open last year's Big Ten schedule.

Penn State has a very good chance of doing that against the Pioneers. Sacred Heart can usually be found near the bottom of the Northeast conference and does not return any full-time starters from last year's 12-15 team. Pioneer coach Dave Bike will have to rely heavily on a young quartet of players: three true freshmen and a redshirt freshman.

On the other side of the court, Penn State does not have much experience either. Only two players, junior forward Aaron Johnson and sophomore Marlon Smith, have experience playing a lot of Div. I minutes. Johnson has been hot and cold so far this season. In one game he snatched 24 rebounds, then he grabbed eight next game.

And, as Penn State's only threat in the post, Johnson can be held in check by a team with a big man. He has performed admirably in this role. With the lack of consistency inside, the Lions have depended a lot on their perimeter shooting, which is like a high wire act for a basketball team.

"[Johnson] tried to drift and shoot; he's a good shooter, but we need him to concentrate on the post," Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said.

Living or dying by the jump shot is what Penn State has to do to survive, a solid proposition with shooters like Smith, junior forward Travis Parker, and freshmen Danny Morrissey and Mike Walker. This is what makes the loss of sophomore point guard Ben Luber so huge. Now Penn State is stuck in the same situation it was last year, one in which it must play at least one of its guards about 35 minutes a game.

"We can make it through [the game], but it's just when you get in foul trouble ... then you really don't have any scholarship perimeter subs and that makes it very hard," DeChellis said.

The player likely to feel the added minutes will be Smith, who admitted that he wore down as last season went on and now it looks like he will have to do it again.

"It was easier to play 40 minutes this year than last year," Smith said after playing the entire game against Lehigh. "I feel like I could play another game."

Also the loss of a floor general can't be overlooked because Luber was the only true point guard with any experience. Walker will have to run the show. Saturday will be just one of many tests for the freshman.

Without Ben, I run the show," Walker said. "It is a little strange as a freshman. A lot of things change psychologically and mentally but I am ready."