The season may have only lasted a few more days than it has in recent years, but those few more days represent a significant step forward for the Penn State men's basketball program.

The Nittany Lions' season ended Tuesday night with a 76-71 loss to Rutgers in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in the Bryce Jordan Center. Though the result was disappointing for the impressive throng of students and residents that attended, it was the first post-season performance since the Lions' Sweet 16 run in 2001.

For a program that hadn't won even 10 games in a season since that 2001 campaign, an NIT appearance and a final record of 15-15 is an accomplishment that seemed unlikely back in the fall.

Now at the end of his third season as head coach of the Lions, Ed DeChellis has endured much to get the downtrodden program to this point. Last offseason he had to deal with the transfers of arguably two of his three best players in Aaron Johnson and Marlon Smith, but in their absence, the young Lions meshed together better than any team under DeChellis.

With only starting forward Travis Parker leaving the squad, Penn State figures to return a strong nucleus next year behind Geary Claxton and Jamelle Cornley. The backcourt will feature seniors Ben Luber and David Jackson and will be bolstered by the return of Danny Morrissey from a knee injury.

Though the senior class hasn't had much to cheer about during its stay at Penn State, the packed student section at Tuesday's game says there is legitimate enthusiasm behind the program. All that's left is to maintain it -- on the court and in the stands.