Somewhere in the room where Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland keeps the archives of game footage she's accumulated over the years, one tape sits alone: last year's 78-70 loss to Liberty in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The loss was so frustrating and so ugly, according to Portland, that she cannot bear to watch it. After a one-point loss to Villanova secured her first 0-2 start at home, she had an urge to throw that tape in the pile.

The stack could have grown, but since that game the Lady Lions (4-3) have turned their season around, going 4-1. They will look to improve on this run when they face the Golden Eagles of Marquette (6-1) at 7 tonight at the Bryce Jordan Center, hoping to add their first impressive home win of the season.

Marquette features a triangle offense similar to that of George Mason, whom Penn State defeated 68-60 Tuesday night. The Golden Eagles coaching staff has been well acquainted with Portland over the years, as Marquette head coach Terri Mitchell was a former Rene camper and assistant coach Cara Consuerga was a former director of basketball operations at Penn State. Last year, Mitchell defeated Portland, 63-51, in Milwaukee.

"They know a lot of our stuff, and Terri does a great job ... she's a tough nut," Portland said. "Again it's the triangle offense, and they read things really well. They deny well on the backdoor, and if they don't, they shoot right in your face... It's a very solid program, and they did take us pretty good last year."

This year, the wins have not been much prettier than the losses, as porous perimeter defense, players at foreign positions and inconsistencies at the free throw line have plagued Penn State. Although these ailments have reared their heads late in close ballgames, the footage of such meltdowns has been easier to watch now that the games have found their way into the "W" column.

"We ran some plays, again, ass backwards, like the [Duke] game, and we went to the wrong side," Portland said after the win over Pitt.

Portland confesses that part of the team's less-than-spectacular play comes from the team's lack of depth, as the Lady Lions feature a thin ten-player roster further depleted by knee injury to freshman guard Mashea Williams.

They were hoping to have Williams back for tonight's game, but according to Sports Information Director Erin Whiteside, she is listed as doubtful and has seen limited practice time this week.

That means that once again, guard Kamela Gissendanner may need to guide freshman forward Courtney Molinaro around the backcourt should a Penn State guard get in foul trouble, as Gissendanner had to do against Old Dominion and Texas Tech earlier in the season.

"Mashea coming back will solve some problems, but we have to deal with everything," Portland said. "It's a lot of teachings with some combinations that we will probably never see again, I hope."

Those combinations will probably exist for one more game, meaning Portland may have an urge to hide the tape, but she will take a win, regardless of how it looks. A win would make it that much easier to watch.