This was not supposed to be a first-place showdown, but somebody forgot to relay that message to Columbus. The No. 14 Penn State women's basketball team (16-5, 6-1 Big Ten) will host No. 23 Ohio State (15-3, 6-1) tonight at 7 at the Bryce Jordan Center.

The winner of tonight's contest will take sole possession of first place in the conference, which the Buckeyes currently hold by a matter of percentage points.

"I've seen them a couple of times," first-year Ohio State women's basketball coach Jim Foster said about Penn State. "I see a typical Rene Portland team. They are well-versed in the offense and defensive nuances of that game. They're not shy about shooting the ball."

The Lady Lions have been forced into a jump-shooting team of late without the services of starting forward Ashli Schwab, who continues to nurse a leg injury.

Without Schwab's 6-foot-3 frame, the Lions have heavily relied on their perimeter play.

Much of the pressure has been placed on the shoulders of All-America hopeful Kelly Mazzante, who is coming off an uncharacteristic 13-point night in the team's last outing, a 72-70 win against Big Ten rival Michigan.

"Her stats are better than what they were last year," Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland said. "We're lucky to have her where she is. I think there's always going to be a cloud over her."

Along with the tight defenses she has seen, Mazzante has also been battling lingering effects from mononucleosis, which she contracted over the summer.

Regardless, other teams have not shown sympathy and have guarded Mazzante tightly all season. The Buckeyes figure to do the same by getting in her face and forcing her into a hard day's work, said Foster.

Despite not having a completely healthy unit, Foster knows that Portland will have something up her sleeve.

"I think Rene's been around long enough to have a bag of tricks and to pull something out of that bag," Foster said.

"They're not a one-dimensional basketball team. If you spend an inordinate amount of time on one team because the team has a perceived weakness, you may be taking away from one of your strengths."

The Buckeyes' strengths come as a result of their chemistry, which began when Foster took the team to Europe for 12 days this summer, before most teams were allowed to practice. The extra time helped the team jell, and the Buckeyes are running on all cylinders at the right time. They come in winners of four straight and 12 of their last 13.

The Lions on the other hand, come in rejuvenated after playing four games in eight days last week.

"We're happy to be back to a normal schedule," Portland said. "Four games was a little too much for us honestly."

Regardless of how tired the teams are, or how beat up they are, tonight's game will be for first place, and that should be enough inspiration to go around.