Some coaches choose to play a small lineup; others are forced to out of necessity. The No. 14 Penn State women's basketball team (16-5, 6-1 Big Ten) came into the season banking on its four-guard offense with one lone post presence, Ashli Schwab, who averaged just 2.3 points per game last season.

This year has been a different story, however, as the Myerstown native was contributing more than nine points per game, and leading the team with seven rebounds a game. Everything Schwab was doing was welcomed and needed by the Lady Lions, but when she went down with a leg injury a few weeks ago, the Lions took a collective deep breath.

The good news is that Schwab was told on Friday that she will likely be out for only 10 days.

"We had a team meeting Saturday night, and I told them my attitude that I had listened to other teams say we're young and inexperienced," Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland said. "My attitude is that we're Penn State. We're missing a piece of the puzzle and we have to fill that hole and I think that they're capable of doing it."

Without Schwab's presence in the low post, the Lions have become a team whose offensive focus was on its guards, to a team who will live and die by its guard play.

The reason has been the team's inability to fill Schwab's shoes. Portland has given most of her minutes to Hazel Joseph, who has struggled following knee surgery over the summer. Tiffany Tomlinson, at 6-foot-7, has also been given valuable minutes, probably more than Portland would have liked, but has no other option.

The two combined to play 39 minutes on Sunday, while scoring four points, above their average of a shade over two.

This lack of ability and depth inside has hurt the Lions offensively, but primarily the difference has been on the defensive end.

Against Michigan, the Lions had all sorts of trouble guarding against low-post play, as all three Wolverine forwards scored in double figures.

The Lions have been forced to resort to unconventional practice techniques this week, according to Portland.

"Magic, absolutely smoke and mirrors at this stage," she said. "We were happy with the post recovery at the Michigan game. I felt that Hazel and Tiff gave us good minutes and that's all we'll ask from them. We hope that our guard play doesn't get the ball inside so easily."

If dealing with a new rotation isn't enough, Portland has also been trying to familiarize transfer guard Melanie Croser to the Lions style of play.

Croser has played only five games, and while she's yet to score, she's been feisty on the defensive end.

With all of the changes, Portland's team has still found a way to win three out of its last four.

The Lions will once again suit up their small lineup tomorrow against Ohio State, in a battle for first place in the Big Ten.