In their college years at Immaculata, Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland and Illinois women's basketball coach Theresa Grentz won three straight national championships from 1972-74.

Now, 32 years later, when the two step onto the same court, only one leaves with a win.

Before the former teammates coached in the Big Ten, they coached against each other in the Atlantic 10. Grentz coached Rutgers from 1976-95 before she took over at Illinois, and Penn State was a member of the same conference before its 1992 switch to the Big Ten.

The two coaches will spar again at 8 tonight when the Lady Lions (7-8, 1-3 Big Ten) travel to Illinois for their fifth conference game.

Portland said although coaching against her close friend has never strained the relationship, constant media attention on their relationship did.

"It was written about all the time," Portland said. "For two hours, we're not friends. It was really difficult for people to get past that, and they didn't believe it, and they didn't understand it, but it's a very true statement."

Both coaches have had great success since leaving their dorms. Portland's 672 wins put her seventh all-time for Division I; Grentz's 646 wins put her eighth. Grentz has not had a losing season in 10 years, while Portland has never had a losing season in her 25 years at Penn State.

If the season ended today, only Grentz's Fighting Illini (10-4, 2-1) would extend that streak.

Illinois is playing its best basketball in Assembly Hall this year, starting the season 5-0 at home, a streak that includes an impressive 11-point win against then-No. 15 Oklahoma on Dec. 18. The five wins at home this year are part of an eight-game home-winning streak, dating back to last season. A win against Penn State would be the longest home-winning streak ever for Illinois.

Illinois' hot streak at home is not exactly what Penn State needs at this point. In the past two seasons, the Lady Lions have struggled away from the Bryce Jordan Center, compiling a 9-15 record away from Happy Valley. Penn State has lost its last two road games.

Hovering around .500, a sense of urgency has started to creep into the Lady Lions camp.

"Five out of seven conference games on the road to start could put you in a hole," Portland said. "We have to make sure we don't get in that hole. We know what we hve to do. There is a keep-your-

eye-on-the-prize type of mentality that they have to keep."

Penn State dropped its first three conference games before finally picking up a win against Wisconsin on Sunday.

Before Portland and Grentz take a two-hour timeout from their friendship, they will meet for a special dinner cooked by Grentz herself. Earlier this year, Portland asked Grentz to emcee a special celebration in honor of Portland's Renaissance Fund Person of the Year award.

Grentz not only did a "bang up" job of that, but also auctioned off the dinner for $4,200. The proceeds will go to the Renaissance Scholarship fund. The top bidder will travel with the Lady Lions to this weekend's game and then eat dinner with Portland and Grentz's families.

When the festivities and game end, Portland is sure that she and Grentz will still be friends.

"There are many lessons people could learn from competition and friendship because you can compete and be brutal, and we are," Portland said. "She's going to be coaching her face off and so am I."