The young Penn State women's basketball team learned a tough lesson on Friday -- its defense needs to improve, or it's going to be a long season.

The Villanova Wildcats upset the Lady Lions 74-58 at The Bryce Jordan Center in the team's regular season opener on Friday. The Wildcats sank 13 three pointers en route to their first victory over Penn State since 1984.

"You've got to put the ball in the basket, and we did," Villanova head coach Harry Perretta said. "We made 13 threes and that was the key to the game."

The Lions were hurt by one of the worst performances in sophomore guard Kelly Mazzante's young career. The Big Ten's Preseason Player of the Year seemed to still be suffering the effects of a blow to the head she received in practice last week. Mazzante, who sat out the Lions' final preseason game last Monday, looked sluggish at times and struggled at both ends of the floor. She shot just 3-11 from the floor for only six points.

"When you have a concussion you're spacey," Lions' head coach Rene Portland said of her star player. "She was trying to do too much. She thought she was going to come back on the floor and get everything done."

Mazzante and her fellow Lions also had trouble handling 'Nova guard Trish Juhline, who fired off five of the Wildcats' three pointers and racked up 23 points to lead all scorers.

With Mazzante playing an off game, the Lions had to rely on senior Rashana Barnes and sophomore Jessica Brungo to keep it close. Brungo tallied 14 points and Barnes racked up 15, with many of their points coming off of Lions' inbound passes.

"We got the ball inside when we wanted to to Rashana and I thought it was a really good game for her," Portland said.

The team was forced to play catch-up for most of the game, as 'Nova held an eight- point lead at halftime and had a double-digit advantage for most of the second half.

"With the lead they have to double team us, so it's a lot easier to get shots," Perretta said. "You've got to make them pay for doubling."

The biggest disappointment for Portland was a double-digit loss at home. The Lions are 4-1 in home openers at the Jordan Center and lost only twice on their home court last season. Portland said she still recalls an embarrassing home loss suffered by one of her squads in the 1980s.

"The headline is still on my desk and it says 'Blown out at home,' " Portland said. "You always remember those types of things.

"We have to make sure we teach this group of kids very quickly that the Jordan Center cannot be given up again."