About the only thing that went right for the Lady Lions last night was Amber Bland's win of the tip.

It was just the second time all season that they won an opening tip, but the cause for Bland getting her first career start resulted in a disastrous road loss to Big Ten doormat Northwestern (5-16, 3-6 Big Ten) last night at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Jess Strom missed the first game of her four-year career due to sickness and No. 22 Penn State (12-7, 7-1) could not find any rhythm on offense, dropping its seventh road game of the season, 59-48.

In the same week the Lady Lions climbed back into the rankings for the first time since week two, they scored a season-low 18 points in the first half and entered halftime down 37-18.

"We really dug ourselves a hole," Penn State coach Rene Portland said on the Penn State Radio Network. "We got ourselves in foul trouble. Obviously, they just weren't ready to play a basketball game."

With Strom gone, the offense never switched in gear with Tanisha Wright handling the point guard duties. Wright scored 17 as the only Lady Lion in double digits, but she and Amanda Brown picked up their fourth fouls early in the second half. Penn State shot 20-of-53 (38 percent) for the game.

Northwestern's Ifeoma Okonkwo and Sarah Kwasinski scored 19 and 16 points, respectively, to end Penn State's 12-game win streak over the Wildcats.

"We put Tanisha in a position she's not used to," Portland said. "She doesn't like to be at point guard. We have three other seniors you would think would step up to the plate. You don't leave a teammate down, and it's a shame that happened. Tanisha catching the ball and Tanisha passing the ball are two different Tanishas."

Already down by 19, Penn State was outscored 9-2 in the first four minutes of the second half. It was then that Portland was forced to go with a lineup that is usually relegated to garbage time.

Seniors Jennifer Brenden and Hazel Joseph, along with sophomore Brown and freshmen Lisa Etienne and Adrienne Squire were the five on the court five minutes into the second half. With four of the five starters sitting on the bench, the subs sparked somewhat of a comeback, getting it within 13 before Wright and company came back in.

"[I was] sending a message," Portland said of benching Wright, Bland, Jen Harris and Ashli Schwab. "They're the reason we were stuck in the situation we were in. We're not ready for that lineup to be out on the floor in a Big Ten game. They certainly gave some great effort and tried a little bit."

Bland hit a 3-pointer with 4:43 remaining, making the gap nine points, but that was as close as it would get. Without Strom, Wright simply had no other scoring option to help her carry the load.

Harris scored just four points on 2-of-14 shooting from the floor, and Bland notched only three. Penn State had as many turnovers (13) as assists, and was outrebounded 25-9 in the first half (37-27 for the game).

In the seven previous conference games, Strom averaged 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.14 assists and 3.71 steals per game. After keeping the score close early in the first half, it was clear that Penn State's offense was running with sticky shoes, trying to get anything going on the offensive end.

Strom is expected to return for Sunday's game against No. 10 Minnesota (16-3, 6-1), which is now that much more important with the top spot in the conference up for grabs.

The Lady Lions are 8-0 this season in the Bryce Jordan Center and will be looking to win their fourth home game against a top-10 team when they tip off against the Golden Gophers at 1 p.m. Penn State and Minnesota split the two-game series last season, with each team winning on its home court. The matchup will also feature a pair on the John R. Wooden Women's Award watch list -- Wright and Minnesota's center, Janel McCarville.