Wolverines to meet struggling cagers

The Penn State and Michigan basketball teams are both having disappointing seasons -- but in different ways.

When the two teams meet at 12:15 p.m. tomorrow in Crisler Arena, No. 13 Michigan (16-5, 6-3 Big Ten) will be trying to live up to preseason expectations, while Penn State (8-11, 1-9) will just be trying to live any way it can.

This was supposed to be the Wolverine season to stomp through the Big Ten, and instead they find themselves having an average season. Penn State, on the other hand, is just trying to salvage a season in which it only has one Big Ten win and has struggled almost the entire season.

During Penn State's season of struggles there have been several minor victories. One is the team's inspired play in the second half of Wednesday's 85-70 loss to Minnesota. In the second half, the Lions were able to cut the Gophers' 20-point halftime lead to seven before succumbing. This has given the Lions encouragement heading into tomorrow's game.

"We are going to have to play very hard with a lot of emotion, just like we played in the second half of the Minnesota game," Penn State forward Jarrett Stephens said.

For Stephens the game will be a homecoming of sorts, as he returns to his home state. And the way the Ferndale, Mich., native has been playing lately, it should be quite a show for the 30 relatives and friends he already has bought tickets for.

Stephens has started the Lions' last four games and averaged 15.3 points per game in that time. He also is coming off a 22-point night against Minnesota, which ties his career high for points, set last weekend against Purdue.

On the other hand, it is imperative the Wolverines win the remainder of their games. Winning out is necessary for them to have any hope of winning a Big Ten title, something they had been predicted to do at the beginning of the season. And the way their season has gone, they know this is going to take improvement.

"Our long-range goal from Oct. 13th was to win a Big Ten championship," Michigan coach Steve Fisher said. "If we are going to do that we have got to get better in practice."

The Wolverines will be led by sharp-shooting point guard Louis Bullock, who seems to save his biggest games against Penn State. Last week's Big Ten Player of the Week scorched the Lions for a game-high 23 points earlier this season and currently is third in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 17.3 points per game.

The Wolverines also will rely on their rather large front line of forwards Maceo Baston and Maurice Taylor along with center Robert "Tractor" Traylor. The smallest of the three is Baston, who is 6 feet 9, 210 pounds. Their size provides quite a rebounding force.

Even with all of this size and scoring ability, the Wolverines have, at times, not lived up to their talent. While most of their losses have been close, several have been to much lesser opponents such as Indiana and Ohio State. And in perhaps their most lackluster game of the season they lost by seven points to Pitt.

"It's been like that with Michigan," Stephens said. "People keep choosing them, and ever since the Fab Five they haven't won anything. They just can't seem to put it all together."

But when the Wolverines do live up to their potential it usually shows.