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Despite loss, Penn State is the real thing

That pesky Penn State men's basketball team kept threatening to beat Michigan yesterday, but the Wolverines finally put the Nittany Lions away for good.

For good?

For now.

"Any time you have a battle like this, you look forward to another one," said Penn State forward Matt Gaudio. "It was like a heavyweight fight out there, punch for punch."

The Wolverines visit Penn State's new Bryce Jordan Center Feb. 22. And unlike in heavyweight boxing, don't look for this one to be postponed.

"We can get them at our place next time," said Nittany Lion center Calvin Booth.

The nation's basketball fans may look at Penn State's performance at Crisler Arena yesterday as a great effort. The Nittany Lions say it was a missed opportunity.

"I don't care what the country thinks," Booth said. "We still lost. We've gotta come in and win games like this."

Forgive the Nittany Lions if they reacted hard to the loss. They're not used to it. Penn State came into yesterday's game with a 13-0 record. That only impressed, oh, most of State College.

Part of the reason is the schedule. The Nittany Lions hadn't beaten a team ranked in the top 25 all season. Of their 13 victims, only Santa Clara is likely to make the NCAA Tournament. Last Thursday Michigan forward Maceo Baston had joked that Penn State's wins were against "Huckabuck State or whatever."

Michigan almost joined the likes of Huckabuck State yesterday.

The Nittany Lions were ranked 14th in the most recent poll -- highest among Big Ten teams but well below Cincinnati and Massachusetts, the nation's only other undefeated teams.

Part of the reason is history. Penn State's basketball past is about as storied as its new arena. In State College, basketball has been that little game you play between football and spring football. The Nittany Lions have made the NCAA Tournament once in the last 30 years.

But Penn State made a decision early in the year to shun history and win some games, and it's worked pretty well so far. First-year coach Jerry Dunn's team may not be ready to win the national championship, but the Big Ten title is a legitimate goal.

"I've always thought we were a good team," Dunn said. "I still think we're a good team."

Was the loss to Michigan a learning experience?

"I like to learn things by winning," Dunn said.

The Nittany Lions have taken a unique approach to the criticism.

"Most of the time we just laugh," Gaudio said. "We knew we were going to get that at the beginning of the year. This team believes in itself and has for a while."

The number of believers is growing quickly. Add Steve Fisher to the list of coaches who have nothing but praise for Penn State.

"We beat a very good team," Fisher said. "We found a way to win down the stretch and I'm proud of that."

The Wolverines have won the first bout. The rematch is set for Thursday, Feb. 22 at the Bryce Jordan Center. The winner may be the front-runner for the conference title.

Penn State is training already.