By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State Lady Lions suffered a tough loss to Michigan State this past Sunday, falling 83-77 to the Spartans on the road.  Despite the tough loss, if there is one thing this team has shown this season it is it knows how to bounce back.

Following their four previous losses on the year the Lady Lions have bounced back and won their next game by an average of 22.75 points per game.

That success is something the team is looking to repeat once again, as it gets ready to face the Indiana Hoosiers Thursday night at the Bryce Jordan Center.

For the Lady Lions to get that "W" Thursday night there are a few things the team mentioned correcting after Sunday's defeat.

"We have to keep improving on our ability to contain the ball and have better help rotation, as well as transition defense," said head coach Coquese Washington.

Defense is something that the Lions always seem to focus on each game no matter who the opponent.  It has the potential to really be a huge factor yet again in this one, with the Hoosiers averaging a Big Ten low 57.7 points a game.

With strong defense the Lady Lions will have a chance to shut the Indiana squad down and put themselves in a good position for the win.

Despite Indiana coming into the contest with a Big Ten worst 0-9 record in conference play, Penn State is not taking this game lightly.

"I think they are one of the teams that are better than their record," Washington said.  "They are in most of their games the first half, they're a very young team and I think some of that stuff catches up with them.

"I don't care what their record is," Coach Washington added.  "I know they're going to come in and play that tough match-up zone, which can give you problems." 

"I give all the teams in our conference great respect," said guard Alex Bentley.  "I think our conference is really tough, we have great teams in the Big Ten."

The players mentioned growing from their last game, and improving not only defensively as Washington mentioned, but on the offensive end as well.    

"You learn from it (the loss) and keep it in your mind," said Bentley.  "You just got to grow, grow every day, grow every game, and we're definitely going to do that." 

"We need to execute the game plan a little more and make sure we get stops down the stretch," added guard Zhaque Gray. 

Looking ahead, despite the setback against Michigan State the Lions continue to stay right in the middle of the Big Ten title race.

With a 6-3 record in conference play the team sits at fourth place in the standings.  Right behind two two-loss teams in Ohio State and Nebraska, as well as a one-loss team in Purdue.

With three teams ahead of them and seven games to go the team still feels that it is right in the hunt for the crown.

"I think we're in a great spot, we're confident we're good," said Bentley on the team's spot in the standings. 

"We're just going to win some ball games," she added.

And for Penn State fans there is nothing wrong with that.