In reality, the Lady Lions have been more of the domesticated feline.

Before the Penn State women's basketball team walked off the court in Illinois at 1-4 in the Big Ten, Penn State coach Rene Portland wouldn't classify her team as the proverbial wildcat-warrior types.

"They aren't really fighters yet," Portland said before the Illinois game on the Penn State Radio Network. "They are a touchy-feely group. But they aren't bad."

The Lady Lions have stayed a united, fun-loving group despite their 1-4 Big Ten record. After losing at Illinois on Thursday, this year's team became just the second squad under Portland to start its conference season by losing four of its first five conference contests.

But Portland saw trouble in the eyes of freshman point guard Brianne O'Rourke after coming onto the court in Columbus, Ohio, before Penn State's first Big Ten loss. O'Rourke found herself staring from end to end, as she felt miniaturized by the bright lights of conference play.

"I should have known I was in trouble when Brianne walked out onto the court at Ohio State and asked if their court was bigger," Portland said.

O'Rourke's in-conference output is just one example, as she has averaged 4.4 points per game on 25 percent shooting in the Big Ten. Sophomore sharpshooter Adrienne Squire has become mortal, missing her first free throw of her Penn State career after hitting her first 60.

For a young team that prides itself on "defending the Jordan Center," the road has been an uncomfortable place for this fresh litter of kittens. With five of their first seven conference games in opposing gyms, the Lady Lions have not won a single road game.

The worst of it all was against No. 12 Michigan State on Jan. 5, when the Lady Lions seemingly gave themselves the knockout punch of the game. With 7:17 left, Squire hit a three to make the score 55-53. Penn State would fail to score for the rest of the contest.

With two games on the road until Penn State comes home to play Iowa, the old weather analogy comes to mind. There is no end to the storm clouds just yet.

"When it rains it pours," Portland said.

If Lady Lions lose to No. 11 Purdue tomorrow, a team that is unbeaten in conference, it will become the first time that they have ever started 1-5.

As members of the Atlantic 10 and Big Ten under Portland, her teams have only failed to crack double digits in conference wins four times. Twice came during the 83-84 and 84-85 seasons, when Penn State only played eight conference games.

Portland continues to mark the NCAA tournament as the "ultimate goal" for her team despite its 7-9 overall record. Penn State has not missed the NCAA tournament for the last seven years. At eighth place in the Big Ten, the Lady Lions are slipping out of contention for an at-large birth and will have to win at a much faster pace.

Otherwise, the Lady Lions will have to quickly flip forward through the calendar to the Big Ten Tournament for a chance to enter the fight they want.

Right now, they just have to figure out how to fight through this even if they don't exactly know how.

"We need to stay together, which they are," Portland said. "The leadership is really good and there has to be some fight, and we're seeing the fight from them."