For the first time all season, the Penn State women's basketball team's main weakness was on display, but it managed to overcome foul trouble anyway.

The No. 11 Lady Lions (6-1) defeated Clemson (3-2), 80-66, Saturday at the Anderson Civic Center, despite foul problems throughout the contest.

All-America hopeful Kelly Mazzante led the Lions with 28 points, while guard/forward Jess Brungo chipped in with 23, going 7-of-8 from the field, including 5-for-5 from behind the arc.

"This was a very good game for us to have at this time of the year," Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland said on the Penn State radio network. "We had adversity, but kept the lead the whole time. We had a big lead then we had a little lead and I think they just refused to lose there for a little bit."

The Lions only dressed eight players, so when starting center Ashli Schwab picked up three fouls in the first half, Portland was forced to utilize her size off the bench.

Portland used both Hazel Joseph and Tiffany Tomlinson in the first half, neither of whom had seen much previous action. In the second half it was Tomlinson who started and would finish, after Schwab fouled out.

Although she was scoreless, Tomlinson did what was needed from her on the defensive end.

"They picked up some confidence in Tiff," said Portland about her 6-foot-7 backup. "Her job is to rebound. As long as she can rebound and change shots, that was a big thing."

The Tigers came in averaging over 40 boards a game, but were out rebounded 39-31.

The Lions ended the first half up 43-33 and opened the second half with an 8-0 run. However, the Tigers would not fold and answered with a 23-9 run of their own to cut the lead to four, at 60-56.

The athleticism of the Tigers forced the Lions to play on their heels while being out-hustled during the Tigers' run. The Lions banked on their leadership to get them out of South Carolina alive.

"Kelly has to say we're not going to lose this game, and I did hear her say that," Portland said.

Mazzante did her part in securing the victory by going 10-for-10 from the charity stripe. Brungo's clutch pair of late three-pointers coupled with a defense which only allowed three points in the final four and a half minutes sealed the Lions victory.

The Lions primarily used a zone defense throughout the contest, the results of which Portland liked.

"We picked up a little confidence in our zone," she said. "We did better job of matching up, and we rebound better out of it [late in the game]."

Thanks to their stingy late-game defense, the Lions were able to answer another challenge this season, and took a big step forward Saturday night.