With his women's basketball tickets in hand, Bill Asbury hasn't always found his way to his seat.

"Unless the game is totally sold out, I sit from interesting angles," Asbury said, pointing towards the various spots in which he wanders.

During the course of a season, the retired Vice President of Student Affairs might find himself sitting in the media section chatting with the ushers. Sometimes, he even perches himself upon the highest row of the Bryce Jordan Center to get a more all-encompassing view.

But with this newfound freedom comes an unsatisfying realization.

"The fact that I can roam around and sit in different seats is because the place is not full. That's not good," Asbury said.

Empty seats dominated the arena at the game against the Wolverines on Feb. 2. Only 5,429 faithful fans wearing white shirts were present, failing to cover the arena. For much of the year, the Bryce Jordan Center has been quieted by its fans' absence.

The Lady Lions have averaged 6,262 enthusiasts per game. Before Sunday's turnout of 9,523 against No. 8 Purdue, Penn State was bringing in around 5,992 watchful participants into the Jordan Center.

The blue seats of the arena, though, once were filled with 15,389 voices -- cheers and jeers bounced from wall to wall. Just under two years ago, a home game against Michigan (11-14) brought the masses out of their homes and into the domain of the Penn State women's basketball team, and the Jordan Center sold out to the likes of Asbury.

Asbury, now retired after 27 years of working for Penn State, remembers when the 2003-2004 Lady Lions featuring Kelly Mazzante -- the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Big Ten -- had him set in his seat.

That team, led by professional players Mazzante, Jess Brungo, Tanisha Wright and Jess Strom, had one conference blemish on its record and finished that year in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, losing to eventual national champions Connecticut. Crowds that year set an average attendance record of 9,866 each game to watch Mazzante drill shots from behind the arc.

"When they win, this place used to be full," Asbury said. "That's why a lot of these people come out for years."

He then pointed out the old-time veterans, the season-ticket holders that have been coming to Lady Lion basketball games since the Rec Hall days. They remember the past glory of the blue and white.

"Here they didn't get quite as good seats as they had over in Rec Hall," Asbury said. "But they did buy seats, and they continue to come."

Many retain a feeling of optimism that today Penn State could win despite the recent history -- No. 8 Purdue was the top team in the Big Ten when Penn State matched up against it on Sunday. The Lady Lions were near the bottom of the conference.

"You have to get down in order to come back up," Asbury said.

***

Standing before the sold-out building, Brungo asked Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland, "It's just Michigan, why are people coming?"

Portland smiled as she recalled the good times and how her players marveled at the support. This year, she has made public pleas just to get fans in the seats, knowing the power of the 12th man -- or woman.

Both times that the Jordan Center sold out in Feb. 2004, the Lady Lions won. Penn State beat Purdue 69-60 on Feb. 29, 2004, and the crowd roared as Wright converted a lay-up to push the Lady Lions ahead for their first lead, 57-56, in more than 10 minutes.

Two weeks earlier, Penn State handled the lowly Wolverines, 73-44, in front of a packed house. This show of support left the Lady Lions, like Brungo, questioning why so many people had showed up to watch them romp a Big Ten cellar dweller.

"They didn't even understand that it was about them," Portland remembered. "I do think that people like Lady Lion basketball."

The crowd hasn't been able to show its love as often this year, as there hasn't been pure domination by the home team. With Penn State struggling to a below .500 record, January crowds haven't been what they have been.

After New Year's for the 2003-04 Penn State team, it played to arenas of 8,720, 6,157, 13,305 and 9,878 people. This year's team only saw 5,373, 7,036 and 5,599 fans in the Jordan Center during January.

After a 77-72 road loss to then-No. 14 Minnesota on Jan. 29, Portland searched for a remedy over the radio waves.

"I really hope that everybody is listening and brings a friend because we need the crowds to make this team go strong down these last seven games," Portland said on the Penn State Sports Network.

In no way was this public cry a vote of non-confidence in her fans' ability to fill a building. Portland expects the crowds to increase in the month of February and said that she is not disappointed in attendance.

"In February when people are thinking basketball we are very fortunate to have this many games at home. We have great support," Portland reiterated.

Last year, the Lady Lions rolled out the welcome mat for 15,177 onlookers as they beat up on Northwestern. But in the 2004-05 season, the attendance numbers didn't take a drastic hike upwards in the later months.

The average through January was 8,136 fans, while the graph only shot up to an 8,665 rate by the end of the season, second highest in the Big Ten. But the hope never dies for the games ahead.

"We haven't been home, we haven't gotten into a groove, and that is what February will do for us," Portland said.

***

The two blonde-haired women are dressed in their woolen vests, have accessorized with jeweled earrings and are clapping furiously for Penn State.

In the opposite corners of the gym, each accomplishes a task. Portland motions her players to run an offense, stomping her heels on the ground. She then converses with assistant coach Annie Troyan in a crouched position.

Mini Rene, on the other hand, links arms with Mini Troyan and skips in a circle to the song "Cotton Eyed Joe."

"Oh, it's so much fun to come out and support the team," bubbles Penn State student Jess Volpe, as she is known outside of the Jordan Center. "This is where I want to be every game."

On Sunday against the Boilermakers, the crowd came alive. Before the game, Mini Rene roamed the stands handing out blue and white pom-poms to the fans in attendance.

"It's a really great atmosphere here. It's great to finally have the ladies back home winning at the Bryce Jordan Center," Volpe said.

While Volpe has become the head of the student cheering section in only her sophomore year, she mirrors the young team that she wishes to inspire. The Lady Lions only have one junior, forward Amanda Brown, and no seniors.

This inexperience has led to losses, which has led to fewer fans in the seats. Volpe, though, still has her loyal army of white-painted players. The Penn State roster only has 10 names, enough for 10 student fans with 10 different blue numbers on their chests.

"It's just difficult to support a team that isn't doing as awesome as it has been in the past," Volpe admitted.

When Penn State finished the first half down only 34-30 to Purdue, Mini Rene said she wished there were more students present to enjoy the moment with her.

"The crowd has gotten smaller, but now we have big games coming up, and we want more students to come," she said.

Whether young or old, Volpe encourages all to show their support for Penn State. Despite recent allegations against Portland that she has an anti-lesbian bias, nothing has wavered Volpe's loyalty.

While it might bother others to show their support for the Lady Lion coach, Volpe said it has been a completely positive experience for her at the Jordan Center.

"She's an awesome woman. What she's done for Penn State, and what she's done for the university," Volpe said proudly. "They are just allegations at this point."

At times, the shrunken numbers in the stands are evident. Yet, the Lady Lions began the season with five out of their first seven games on the road. The biggest crowd Penn State had seen at home was 7,303 against Duke on opening night.

With more opponents coming to Happy Valley, such as rival Ohio State on Feb. 26 to close out the regular season, that should put a smile on Mini Rene's face.

And when asked at halftime if she thought the Lady Lions would defeat Purdue, to whom they would eventually lose, 72-61, Mini Rene issued a definitive vote of confidence.

"Oh, absolutely," she said.