In her first game as acting head coach of the Penn State women's basketball team, Annie Troyan got the Lady Lions something they haven't tasted so far this season.

She got them a win.

"She came out a winner, so she's awesome," Tanisha Wright said. "She's 1-0. She'll keep it rolling."

With no indication from the team projecting the length of time coach Rene Portland will remain on a medical leave-of-absence, Troyan holds the fate of the Lady Lions in her fingers.

Both Troyan and Duquesne coach Dan Durkin were visibly upset in the media room after Tuesday's match between the two teams -- the first Lady Lions game without Portland in 25 years.

"It's the first time in 18 years that I didn't get to spend time with a really great friend," Troyan said. "She's not just my coach -- someone I work for -- so it was hard in that respect. I told the kids before the game that this was the first game that I hadn't had the opportunity to speak to her, so it was hard."

A career assistant coach, Troyan has been Portland's right-hand woman for the past 18 seasons at Penn State, primarily concerned with opponent scouting and guard player development. Just last year, Troyan was promoted to associate head coach, and has been with Portland at Penn State since the beginning -- coming to State College in 1980 as a transfer after Joe Paterno hired Portland away from the University of Colorado to head the Lady Lions' program.

Durkin, a former Penn State assistant coach from 1986-1993, expressed sincere concern for what the Lady Lions are dealing with in this tough time. Durkin was forced to take a medical leave of his own several years ago during his struggle with thyroid cancer, empathizing with Portland, her family and the Lady Lions' program.

"She's a mom and she's a coach, she's a lot of different things," Durkin said. "I've talked to her a lot in the last couple of days. When you hear the doctor say something, what you do is you wake up and walk down the stairs and see your family in front of you. So the lay-up doesn't mean diddly-squat. Recruiting doesn't mean diddly-squat. After 25 years, you hate missing a game or practice, so I'm sure that's really bugging her."

Getting back into the swing of the X's and O's of coaching was easy, Troyan said. After all, she was the head coach at Archbishop Carroll High School in Radnor from 1984-1987, right after graduating from Penn State as a player, but she was admittedly rusty.

"The hardest thing for me was not to have my clipboard with me," Troyan said.

Troyan's voice didn't reverberate through the rafters, like Portland's can during intense moments, but her quieter brand of leadership proved just as effective.

Wright, Strom and Jen Brenden were all singled out by Troyan as players to whom she will look for help to fill Portland's stomping shoes.

"Right now with T and Jess, I'm trying to spend more time with them to help the younger kids adjust," Troyan said. "I said to the kids before hand, 'What does she say here?' That's where [the captains] would help out. Jenny was in my ear the whole time telling me what to say. So, I was a little rough on that. I need work."

Troyan may say she needs work, but her first game was still a success.

When asked how it feels to be 1-0 as a collegiate head coach, Troyan's response was simple and solemn.

"One-and-oh? I'd feel a whole lot better if Rene was here. To me, that's more important."