If winning on the road was a cinch, anyone could do it.

The Penn State women's basketball team is no exception, but its struggles on the road this season, if not overcome, will be the downfall of an otherwise very progressive season.

Here it is, one of the nation's top programs, coming off a huge 12-point win against

Purdue, the only other team really standing in its way from both a top 10 ranking and a Big Ten title.

However, the team cannot seal the deal against Iowa, one of the conference's bottom-dwellers, on the road.

Kiss the top 10 ranking for this week goodbye because Sunday was a wakeup call.

Of the six losses the Lady Lions have accrued this season, 100 percent have happened while on the road.

This weekend's loss to the Hawkeyes showed that not only is Penn State a very different, and possibly soft, team when they hit the road, but their issues with depth on the bench have reached a turning point.

First, the weak play on the road.

Upsets are part of every sport, and maybe Penn State's loss to Iowa was just that and nothing more.

However, truly great teams are able to consistently finish off lower tier teams quickly and skillfully no matter where they play, home or away.

Granted, the Lady Lions have played some very strong teams on the road this year, namely Louisiana State, Kansas State, Villanova and Purdue.

Losing to any of these teams on the road is not such a horrible thing.

Losses bring about growth in various aspects of a team. Losses are not always a bad thing. But that's not the issue for the Lady Lions.

Getting embarrassed by 22 points against K-State and 17 against LSU is not noble and it is not something a premier team has happen to it.

The Lady Lions have lost by 62 combined points in all of their six losses so far.

Losses may not always be a bad thing, but getting crushed definitely is not a positive.

Just take a look at the nation's top teams, Connecticut and Duke. UConn is undefeated while the Blue Devils have only one loss, that being at the hands of the Huskies.

No matter who or where Connecticut and Duke play or what channel their games are broadcast on, the Huskies and Blue Devils win consistently.

The ability to finish is why these programs are No. 1 and No. 2. They do not just win at home, and they do not just beat the weak teams on their schedule -- they just win.

Penn State has yet to be able to do this so far, which is what delineates them between a "good" team and a "great" team.

The loss against Iowa also brought to the forefront Penn State's lack of a bench, especially a lack of size among the Lions' second teamers.

With only five players on the pine, the Lions are at a disadvantage when players get in foul trouble, as they found against the Hawkeyes.

On Sunday, Jess Brungo, one of the team's tallest starting players at 6-foot-1, fouled out along with starting guard Tanisha Wright.

The team already has issues in the post and having Brungo out of the lineup does nothing to amend the problems with the post play.

Hazel Joseph scored one point against Iowa, adding to the frustrations of the team's play in the paint.

Joseph has stepped up into the role of starting post player while true center Ashli Schwab gradually makes her way back into the lineup and has come through in previous games.

However, the sophomore is still young for having so much thrust on her shoulders.

The bottom line is with minimal size and minimal numbers off the bench for Penn State, they are now at a distinct disadvantage, especially in the post.

The team cannot survive with the combination of a shell offense and young post players.

Look no further than Iowa.