WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING...

While you've been sleeping this January, the Penn State men's basketball team has been ever so quietly, sneakily, and dare I say confidently building their first NCAA tournament-worthy resume since 2001.

Although the Nittany Lions have tournament aspirations every season, they haven't been even remotely close since Joe Crispin and Titus Ivory led the Nittany Lions to the Sweet 16 in 2001, when they knocked off two-seed North Carolina.

This year, the Nittany Lions have their best team since 2001, yet their work is still cut out for them. Coming into this week, their RPI lingered in the mid-80s. The non-conference strength of schedule was not good at all, but Penn State appears to be making up for that with solid conference play. They currently sit at 15-5 (4-3). This is the fastest Penn State has ever reached 15 wins in a season.

Unlike years past, where a road game was an almost certain loss and home games were always a toss up in an empty and dark Bryce Jordan Center, they haven't had a bad loss in the Big Ten this season. The team lost at Wisconsin and Minnesota, and managed a furious comeback at home against Michigan State only to lose by 5. Last night, they picked up their second quality conference win, and did so in convincing fashion (something new for Lions fans). Michigan has been inconsistent, entering State College with two straight losses, but they still have a very respectable RPI due to several top-notch victories (UCLA, Duke). Penn State beat the Wolverines by 15 and had a lead of 26 at one point in the second half.

Everything Penn State fans have been waiting and pleading for from the Nittany Lions happened last night against the Wolverines of Michigan. Ed DeChellis used a great mix of man and zone defense, keeping the Michigan offense off balance and cold from the floor all night. Big Ten leading scorer Manny Harris was held to only 4 points. Meanwhile on offense, the Lions made all of the extra passes, hit their open shots and were patient with the ball.

See highlights HERE...

The Lions got stellar outside shooting, as Talor Battle, Stanley Pringle, and Danny Morrissey combined for 9-13 shooting from three. Inside, Jamelle Cornley was a beast as he was 8-9 from the paint, with 11 rebounds.

Games like that will clearly grab the selection committees attention, however they must come in multiple amounts.

A very winnable game against Iowa awaits Saturday evening, then the Lions will have an entire week off. After that, they have to visit both Michigan schools on the road, play Wisconsin at home, go to Purdue, host Minnesota, and head to Illinois and Ohio State. Needless to say, they better enjoy that rest period. Considering their traditional road woes (they were 2-12 in road/neutral games last season, and currently sit 4-3 this season), this will be a tough run which will truly show the Nittany Lions true colors.

However, if they can keep their momentum rolling and play as well as they (and we) know they can, those dancing shoes might just need to be polished. But the team needs to keep in mind that if they let up even a little in a tough Big Ten Conference, they'll yet again be trying to persuade the NIT brass instead of the NCAA committee at the end of the season.